Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi, KPCC president DK Shivakumar and Rajya Sabha member KC Venugopal share a light moment during the Bharat Jodo Yatra that entered Raichur district on Friday | Express
RAICHUR: Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Wayanad Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi re-entered Karnataka here on Friday after passing through neighbouring Andhra Pradesh for three days. Rahul was in Mantralayam of Kurnool district in AP on Thursday evening, where he took the darshan of Brindavana of Sri Raghavednra Swamy and chanted the mantra ‘Pujyaya Raghavendraya’.
On Friday morning, Rahul had his breakfast in the house of Lakshmamma, a Dalit woman, at Madhavaram, a border village in Andhra Pradesh and commenced his padayatra to Raichur crossing the Tungabhadra Bridge.
Senior Congress leaders, including KPCC chief DK Shivakumar and HK Patil, received Rahul at the border. Rahul was later joined by CLP leader Siddaramaiah, KPCC working president Eshwar Khandre, media in-charge of Congress in Karnataka Priyank Kharge, KPCC vice-president Dr Sharanaprakash Patil and others.
Thousands of people from Kalyana-Karnataka region, including Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Raichur districts, joined the yatra. It was a festive atmosphere as people waved Congressflags, while cultural troupes performed dollu kunithaand kolata.
The yatra reached Gillesugur village in Raichur taluk at 10 am. Later, Rahul continued his yatra from Kerebudur village at 4 pm and concluded at Ranganatha Swamy temple at Yaragera village at 7 pm. Rahul walked 25 km in Raichur district on Friday and will resume the yatra on Saturday.
