The one major take-away from the Congress plenary session, which concluded on Sunday in Raipur, was the party's plan for another yatra led by Rahul Gandhi, this time from east to west, to maintain the momentum of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in the run-up to the 2024 national elections. According to sources, the party is seriously considering the plan in light of the ‘huge response' received by the previous one.
Even though there was talk of an east-west foot march during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, it had not made it to the minds of Congress strategists. However, Rahul Gandhi has indicated that he intends to continue. Speaking at the plenary session, he said the Congress is a “party of sacrifice” and the “sacrifice and work must continue”. “Please create a programme out of our sweat and blood, and the entire country will support us,” he added. During the 1,760-kilometer march, the senior Congress leader said he was tinking about his responsibilities. According to Congress stalwarts, Congress is considering a cross-country east-west yatra, most likely from Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh to Porbandar in Gujarat. However, its format will differ from that of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
The Congress leaders were of the view that the enthusiasm and energy which they feel turning towards the revival of enthusiasm among the party workers would get further impetus. But the east to west yatra as proposed may not be that easy as the earlier one keeping in view the climate, topography, terrain, security and the calendar of political events. Party may propose a different format of the east-to-west yatra that may turn out to be different from the format of the south-to-north Bharat Jodo Yatra.
The proposed yatra may not have such an elaborate infrastructure that was mobilised for the Bharat Jodo Yatra, and may also have very less yatris. There are dense jungles, deep gorges, ridges and rivers on this route especially in the north-eastern states. Thus it cannot be carried the way the earlier Bharat Jodo Yatra was conducted that passed through mostly states ruled by the friendly parties and Congress where elaborate arrangements were made by the official machinery.
With the assembly elections in Karnataka in April, rains from June and states polls in November, the second march may have to be undertaken before June or before November and it need to be a shorter duration yatra than the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
While the decision on the subject may take a few weeks, the east-west yatra is almost a certainty that may help Congress party cadre in high spirit. Notably, addressing the Congress plenary session, Rahul Gandhi said that the party should formulate a new plan to carry forward the “tapasya” undertaken through the Bharat Jodo Yatra, and that he along with the entire country will participate in it, indicating another such initiative.
