Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Telangana on Sunday to a grand welcome by the state party leaders and cadres.
After covering four states during the last 45 days, the Yatra entered the state at Gudeballur in Narayanpet district after exiting Karnataka from Raichur.
Large number of Congress cadres welcomed the party MP as he crossed the bridge on the Krishna river to Gudebellur.
Rahul Gandhi walked a few kilometres with other party leaders and hundreds of party workers. The Yatra was stopped for three days for Deepavali and the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Rahul Gandhi flew in a helicopter to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad and from there, he will fly to New Delhi, where he will celebrate the festival of lights and also attend the swearing-in-ceremony of Kharge.
Party leaders said the yatra will resume on October 27 from Makthal.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy, party in-charge for Telangana Manickam Tagore, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, yatra coordinator for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Uttam Kumar Reddy and several senior leaders welcomed Rahul Gandhi when he crossed into Telangana.
There was tremendous enthusiasm among the party cadres as they walked along with their leader. Party leaders from all 33 districts of the state had gathered to accord a grand welcome to Rahul Gandhi.
Addressing the yatra, Rahul Gandhi said it was aimed at uniting India. He alleged that BJP and RSS were spreading hatred and violence. "This yatra is against their ideology, violence and hatred," he said and thanked people for their tremendous response and conveyed Diwali greetings to all. He announced a three-day break for yatra.
The Congress MP said the yatra was also highlighting the problems of price rise and unemployment. "Today there are two India. One of a few selected people and rich and another of poor, farmers and workers. We want one India where everyone gets justice," he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said after resumption on October 27, the yatra will continue in Telangana till November 7 with one-day break on November 4. Rahul Gandhi will walk for 375 kms in the state covering 19 Assembly and 7 Parliamentary constituencies. He will walk for 20-25 kms every day.
During the yatra, Rahul Gandhi will address corner meetings and interact with leaders of various communities, students, women and personalities from different fields like sports, business and entertainment.
The yatra will also cover Hyderabad. Rahul will visit historic Charminar on October 31. He is scheduled to pay tributes to his grandmother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The party is also making arrangements for a massive public meeting at Necklace Road in the city on November 1.
