MYSURU: Bharat Jodo Yatra by Congress suffered a bit of a setback when people uprooted and fled with metal flagpoles that were erected on the Gundlupet-Mysuru Highway as part of its decoration to welcome party senior leader Rahul Gandhi.
The party workers and cadres who put up the poles toiling all day did not expect that people participating in the inaugural event would steal the poles. Many enthusiastic villagers, who took part in the Yatra, were seen carrying the poles without flags, as it could fetch them some money from scrap dealers.
When questioned, Nanjaiah, who stays near Kelasuru, said he took away seven poles. “We are battling inflation and it is really hard to eke out a living working as a daily wage labourer. There is no harm or crime in taking them,” he said and started running away in the face of more questions.
Though Congress has organised lunch, snacks, dinner and high-tea including buttermilk and sugarcane juice, many were seen taking away water bottles and at least 10-12 bananas as the organisers were exhausted distributing them to thousands of people under the scorching sun.