Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congress MP, Rahul Gandhi ended with a rally at Srinagar’s SK Stadium. The Yatra covered 4000 kilometers and Congress party held a big show at the end to showcase unity of opposition leaders.
Though some of the important opposition leaders didn’t attend the culmination ceremony dropping enough signal that opposition unity is still a distant dream. Rahul and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were joined by leaders from the DMK, JMM, BSP, NC, PDP, CPI, RSP, VCK and IUML though invitation had been extended to 22 political parties of the country.
This yatra received tremendous response from the masses in Kashmir and Jammu regions of the UT, however still it seems Congress has to do much ground work if they want to come in power at the centre. Though Congress leaders made it clear that this yatra had nothing to do with politics.
In Kashmir the Congress MP recalled his association with Kashmir and how his ancestors had moved from this place to Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh. Rahul also spoke about Kashmiriyat and said that he understands home as an ideology and has embraced Kashmiriyat as his home.
Congress president, Mallikarjun Kharge said Kashmir, was turned into a UT. He said this paradise they turned into a UT. But Rahul Gandhi intention is to give it an assembly and restore statehood and will turn this into a state again. The participation of J&K leaders is now banking on Rahul Gandhi as the saviour of the UT and feel that the Gandhi scion can help in reversing the decisions that degraded the erstwhile state into UT.
In Srinagar, Rahul Gandhi vouched for the statehood of J&K but kept silence on the Article 370. He dodged the questions pertaining to 370 very cleverly saying that Congress party has already passed a resolution.
The way two political parties NC and the PDP participated in the Bharat Jodo march is also an indication that two big parties of J&K have now for the time being tied it’s future with Congress instead of BJP that has been accusing both the parties as dynastic political parties.
It is to be seen now how the Congress and Rahul Gandhi channelize the energy they got from the yatra since it has been struggling to contain the massive Modi wave in the country. So far Congress could do little to fight the BJP which not only rule at the centre but have government formed in many crucial states.
Rahul Gandhi needs a lot more to do to turn the wave in his favour if he seriously wants to take on Narendra Modi next year in Parliamentary elections as Prime Minister candidate.
