PATNA: The ongoing 16-day, 3,000-km Yatra of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been drawing massive crowds in Bihar, with people lining the roads, waving flags, and cheering him. Hundreds of young people were seen clicking selfies, while Rahul himself appeared overwhelmed by the response.
On Tuesday, the Yatra moved from Gaya towards Nawada and Sheikhpura. In Nawada, Rahul addressed a public meeting on the third day of the march before continuing his journey.
The programme has been running behind schedule, as Rahul makes frequent unscheduled halts to meet people personally. Some, however, were left disappointed. “I wanted to take a selfie with Rahul Gandhi, but could not because of the rush.
I don’t know if I’ll ever get the chance again,” said Sangeeta Kumari, 21, a student from Nawada. Her cousin Raj Kishore, a 24-year-old UPSC aspirant, was luckier. “I jostled with Congress workers to get close. The security was tight, but I managed to take a photo with him,” he said.
Both Nawada and Sheikhpura were decorated with the flags of the INDIA bloc partners in a show of solidarity. Rahul was accompanied by RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, CPI-ML’s Dipankar Bhattacharya, and VIP leader Mukesh Sahani. Women in large numbers turned up near the welcome arches. Traders and farmers travelled from far-off areas to see him. “It feels like a dream come true,” said Pappu Kumar, 38, a small trader from Barbigha.
Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav, Bhattacharya, and Sahani were accorded a warm welcome by district unit workers of the Opposition alliance. “I have heard about Rahul Gandhi, but I never got a chance to meet him.
He is raising the issue of manipulation of votes by the BJP in the upcoming election,” remarked Ganesh Ram, a resident of Barbigha. Dipankar Bhattacharya told reporters that the Yatra has raised hopes among people. “It is not just about elections, but about change in governance,” he said.
During a stopover, Rahul invited a local youth, Subodh Kumar, to share his grievance. Kumar alleged that his name was deleted from the voter’s list despite his having voted last year. Rahul accused the BJP of “stealing votes” in partnership with the Election Commission. “We will not let them steal a single vote from Bihar,” he told the cheering crowd.