Bharat Jodo Yatra day 13: Yatra to cover 15 km today, to camp in Kochi

CHERTHALA: The 13th day of the Bharat Jodo Yatra began from Cherthala on Tuesday. The Congress MP Rahul Gandhi-led Yatra will continue for 15 kilometres until Kuthiyathodu in Alappuzha. The campsite tonight is in Kochi district.

"Like the last few days, the 13th day of #BharatJodoYatra also started around 6:30 in the morning. In the morning session of the padayatra today, Indian travellers will walk 15 km from Cherthala to Kuthiyathodu in the Alappuzha district. Tonight's camp will be organized in Kochi district," tweeted Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party workers, followers and masses will be in the southern state of Kerala for 18 days.

The Yatra is in its Kerala leg and would traverse through the state in the upcoming 12 days. The 3,500-km march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir will be completed in 150 days and cover as many as 12 states.

From Kerala, the Yatra will traverse through the state for the next 18 days, reaching Karnataka on September 30.

It will be in Karnataka for 21 days before moving north. The Padyatra (march) will cover a distance of 25 km every day.

Earlier on Monday Congress MP Rahul Gandhi participated in a snake boat race exhibition in the Punnamada lake in Kerala.

Rahul Gandhi was seen rowing the boat along with other men and had a smile at the end as he wiped his face. Gandhi took to Twitter and said, "When we all work together in perfect harmony, there is nothing we cannot accomplish".

Earlier in the day, the Congress leader interacted with fishermen at Vadackal beach in Kerala's Alappuzha and discussed the challenges faced by them.

The Wayanad MP held discussions about the rising fuel costs, reduced subsidies, dwindling fish stock, inadequate educational opportunities, and environmental destruction among other issues.

"At 6 am, Rahul Gandhi interacted with fisherfolk at Vadackal beach in Alappuzha on their challenges--rising fuel costs, reduced subsidies, dwindling fish stock, lack of social welfare & pensions, inadequate educational opportunities, and environmental destruction," Congress leader Jairam Ramesh informed in a tweet.

The Congress leader said that the spirit of the Bharat Jodo Yatra is to bring Indians together irrespective of religion, and community and remind them that this is one country and it will be successful if we stand together and are respectful towards each other.

The Yatra includes Padayatras, rallies, and public meetings which will be later attended by the senior Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

The Congress suffered a debacle in the assembly polls held earlier this year and the Yatra is seen as an attempt to rally the party rank and file for the upcoming electoral battles.