Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would participate in the Karnataka leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi that will be entering the state on September 30, state party chief DK Shivakumar said, on Friday, September 23. Shivakumar said that the dates for their participation will be announced soon.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary KC Venugopal, along with another AICC General Secretary and in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, state Congress President Shivakumar and a host of leaders participated in the party's review meeting on the yatra, on Friday.
"In Karnataka, Congress President Sonia Gandhi may attend the Bharat Jodo Yatra some day, and 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 that there was a programme at Badanavalu in Nanjangud Taluk, which is known for its Khadi and Gramodyog Centre, on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti.
Not wanting to comment on the demand for Rahul Gandhi as AICC President, Shivakumar in response to a question said, "KPCC has already authorised the Congress President. We all are committed that Rahul ji should lead the party, but it is left to him."
He also said, "for the last ten years, the BJP and Sangh Parivar had one duty- to tarnish the image of Rahul Gandhi, but people are now realising as to who is Rahul Gandhi. This yatra will be a turning point in Indian politics."
Responding to a question, Venugopal said that ‘PayCM' was not a campaign created by the Congress party. The party is only taking up genuine issues raised by people of Karnataka, everyone is saying this is the most corrupt government in the state. The Congress is not scared of arrests, party workers have enough courage and will raise the corruption issue again and again, come what may,” he said.
Surjewala said that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai "lords over" the most corrupt government in the entire country. "This is a one scam a day government that he (Bommai) heads," he added.