Sonia, Priyanka to join Bharat Jodo Yatra in K'taka on Sept 30

New delhi: In a major move that is aimed at giving a boost to the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra, which is led by Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her daughter as well as party's general secretary Priyanka Gandhi would join the padyatra when it enters Karnataka on September 30.

However, rejecting the claims of a section of media followed by BJP that its leader Rahul Gandhi has returned to national capital leaving the Bharat Jodo Yatra midway in Kerala, Congress chief spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said that Rahul Gandhi is stationed at a container camp in Kerala's Chalakudy as per the rest day schedule.

Karnataka state party chief DK Shivakumar said that the party has made preparations for the yatra by giving responsibility to leaders to make arrangements to facilitate Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi's yatra in the poll-bound state. Notably, Sonia Gandhi has just returned after treatment from abroad.

The decision in this regard was taken during the party's review meeting on the yatra on Friday. AICC general secretary KC Venugopal along with another AICC general secretary and in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, Shivakumar and a host of leaders participated in the meeting.

"In Karnataka, Congress president Sonia Gandhi may attend the Bharat Jodo Yatra for a few days while Priyanka Gandhi will also be joining separately," Venugopal said.

Noting that the Karnataka leg of the yatra will begin at Gundlupet on September 30 at 9 am, Shivakumar said, "On Gandhi Jayanti, there is a programme at Badanavalu in Nanjangud Taluk, which is known for its khadi and gramodyog centre." "There will be a two-day holiday for Dussehra and there will be a public meeting in Ballari. In between, Rahul Gandhi will be interacting with youth, women, civil society, students, tribal community and farmers among others each day and teams have been formed for this," he added.

On the arrangements made by KPCC for the yatra, Venugopal said.