Yatra to bolster Cong’s chances in polls: Rawat
HARIDWAR : Former chief minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat said on Tuesday that national leader Rahul Gandhiled Bharat Jodo Yatra is strengthening the party parliamentary election scheduled two years later as well as upcoming assembly elections.
“Bharat Jodo Yatra is getting overwhelming response and feedback from countrymen. Both party workers and voters feel rejuvenated due to this yatra,” Rawat said while starting the three-day ‘Bharat Jodo’- Haridwar Zindabad yatra’ in Haridwar district.
Prior to going on the yatra, Rawat garlanded the statue of former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh at Udhalhedi village in Roorkee block, and talked about his contribution to the nation, in particular for the farmers.
“Rahul Gandhi is on a mission almost like a ‘tapasvi’ to link the countrymen who are being divided on varied politically motivated divisive issues. It’s a historic foot march whose impact is already visible. It will sahpe the future political course,” said Rawat, a five-time parliamentarian.
Calling the BJP as pro-corporate, Pradesh Congress Committee president Karan Mahara lashed at the ruling party for its “anti-farmer, anti-dalit, anti-youth and anti-poor policies.”
He said, “BJP-led state government has failed badly. It has sided with influential people as has been seen in Ankita Bhandari (Pauri) and Jagdeesh Chandra (Salt Assembly ) murder cases. Similarly government recruitment scam has exposed the corruption within rank and file of the administrative system. Government has no courage to opt for a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the recruitment scam. Change of Special Investigation Team chief midway also raises questions on the intent of the BJP government,” said Mahara.
All India Congress Committee national general secretary Qazi Nizamuddin, Jhabreda legislator Virendra Jati along with party leaders and activists were present during the ‘Bharat Jodo Haridwar Zindabad yatra’ which will conclude on November 25 at Dhanpura village.
Reacting to Congress’ allegations, Roorkee BJP district unit president Shobha Ram Prajapati said, “Yesterday 30 village chiefs hailing from Jhabreda, Manglaur, Bhagwanpur, Kaliyar and Khanpur joined the BJP in presence of Haridwar MP Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. These included half a dozen pro-Congress village chiefs. Congress neglected rural segments and now it is staging Haridwar Zindabad yatra which is not getting any major response from villagers. Recent panchayat polls also saw Congress lagging behind BJP in rural areas.”