The Congress party on Saturday reiterated that any opposition unity against the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) should pivot around the Congress and must be based on a positive agenda. The grand old party also maintained that the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra should not be seen as an exercise aimed at building a coalition or fighting elections 'unitedly'.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi resumed his yatra from Chersoo at Awantipora in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district under tight security arrangements. He was joined by the Peoples Democratic Party Chief Mehbooba Mufti along with her daughter. A large number of Congress workers and local residents converged near the highway to catch a glimpse and welcome the yatra. The Congress workers were seen carrying tricolor and party flags during the yatra.
Elaborate security arrangements were made along the entire yatra route on Saturday. Strict vigil was kept on the interior roads connected with the National Highway by the various area domination patrol parties of the Indian army and the Central Paramilitary forces. The Congress party also acknowledged that the security arrangements were very strong on Saturday.
Along the yatra route Rahul paid floral tributes to the 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans who had sacrificed their lives in the 2019 Pulwama suicide car bomb blast attack. PDP Chief, wearing a contrasting black dress, walked along with Rahul Gandhi till Lethpora, a few kilometres short of the yatra’s final destination for Saturday.At Lethpora, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also joined the yatra. Mehbooba Mufti termed the yatra as a breath of fresh air in Kashmir. “Rahul Gandhi’s yatra comes like a breath of fresh air in Kashmir,” Mufti tweeted after the yatra.