Forward march

The remarkable success of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in poll-bound Karnataka has unnerved the BJP and re-energised the Congress

- PRATHIMA NANDAKUMAR

AT NOON, a sprawling camp dotted with white canopies in Jajirakallu village in Andhra Pradesh transforms into an oasis for the sun-tanned Bharat Jodo yatris who are back after walking 13km in the blazing sun. They look fatigued, but are in an upbeat mood. After savouring a sumptuous meal served on a plantain leaf, they retire into a giant tent for a power nap. Small teams of volunteers huddle together sharing notes, while the movers and shakers carefully factor in the rising mercury and logistics to revise the schedules. A team of doctors suggests quick fixes for minor ailments. The evening is ushered in by the beating of drums; folk artistes engage the teeming crowd, while the yatris line up once again to hit the road. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is leading the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, steps out of the camp and his security cordon struggles to keep pace as he greets cheering crowds on either side of the road.

The yatra, which was flagged off on September 7, completed the 1,000-km mark at Ballari in Karnataka on October 16. While the yatra is perceived as a bid to resurrect the Congress ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, and perhaps to project Rahul as the prime ministerial candidate, it has led to a lot of intrigue in Karnataka, which goes to polls in seven months.