BJP resumes Rajasthan yatra today
Jaipur, Aug. 23: The ruling Bharatiya Janata ( BJP) in Rajasthan will resume its 6,000- km ‘ yatra’, put on hold after Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s death, on Friday when the Congress too starts a series of rallies with the Assembly polls in mind.
Chief minister Vasundhara Raje will begin the second leg of her ‘ Rajasthan Gaurav Yatra’ in Jodhpur division while the Congress will hold its first ‘ sankalp rally’ in Chittorgarh district.
The Gaurav Yatra has already covered the state’s Udaipur division but the next phase, scheduled to begin on August 16, was postponed due to the death of the former Prime Minister.
The first public meeting in Jodhpur division will be held in Jaisalmer on Friday. Ms Raje will cover 1,285 kilometres and address 20 public meetings in this administrative division which includes the districts of Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Pali, Sirohi, Jalore and Barmer, a party spokesperson said.
The chief minister will be on the road on August 24 and 25 and then again from August 29 to September 2 in the division. She is scheduled to cover 32 of the 33 assembly constituencies in the Jodhpur division.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s 58- day yatra began on August 4, with Raje boarding a customised bus.
Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot said his party’s first sankalp rally in Chittorgarh is expected to draw over 50,000 people.
Mr Pilot has claimed that the BJP’s Gaurav Yatra was meant to counter a Congress campaign called ‘ Mera Booth, Mera Gaurav’.
He said the ‘ sankalp’ or ‘ pledge’ rallies will highlight the government’s “failures” and make a commitment to throw the BJP out of power in the next election. Mr Pilot said the party will also hold separate meetings with target groups like the youth and women.