The Congress on Monday, September 12, hit back at the CPI(M) for questioning the duration of Rahul Gandhi's stay in Kerala and Uttar Pradesh during the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. Taking a dig at Rahul, the CPI(M) had ridiculed his prolonged stay in Kerala and the fact that only a few days had been scheduled for his Uttar Pradesh visit. As per the schedule, the former Congress president will be in the Left Democratic Front (LDF)-ruled Kerala till September 30.
Along with Rahul's caricature, the CPI(M) had tweeted: "Bharat Jodo or seat jodo, 18 days in Kerala and 2 days in UP... strange ways to fight the BJP-RSS." In a retort, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "Do your homework better on how and why yatra was planned the way it is. And silly criticism from a party that is the team of BJP in the land of MunduModi." Jairam Ramesh said that though Rahul Gandhi is in the lead, the yatra is the party's programme and all are participants.
On the BJP criticising Rahul for meeting controversial Tamil pastor George Ponnaiah, Jairam said that his party does not subscribe to the latter's views, but that “the RSS is a rumour spreading organisation”. "We don't want to stoop to the levels of BJP leaders. They are afraid. They can't talk about the real issues that Bharat Jodo Yatra raises among the people. No wonder they talk about T-shirts, underwear, containers," he added.
— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) September 12, 2022
The Congress kicked off the massive Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari on September 7. After entering Kerala from Parassala close to the Tamil Nadu border, Rahul will travel 450 km to Nilambur in Malappuram over a 19-day period. The yatra would cover 12 states and two union territories, and a distance of 3,570 km from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu to Jammu and Kashmir over a period of 150 days. There would be mega rallies in 22 major cities.