West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury receives the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' flag and welcomes Rahul Gandhi and other leaders as the 'yatra' enters the State in Cooch Behar on Thursday. (PTI)
KOLKATA: The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will resume from West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district on Sunday after a two-day break.
The Yatra, which began in Manipur on January 14, entered West Bengal from Assam on Thursday morning, and took a break, during which Gandhi returned to New Delhi.
"Gandhi will arrive at the Bagdogra airport in Siliguri at 11.30 am. Subsequently, he will proceed to Jalpaiguri, from where the Yatra will recommence," state Congress leader Suvankar Sarkar said.
The Yatra, which will proceed both by bus and on foot, will halt for the night near Siliguri, he said.
On Monday, it will head to Islampur in Uttar Dinajpur district, before entering Bihar, he added.
The Yatra is scheduled to re-enter West Bengal on January 31 via Malda and then after travelling through Murshidabad, it will leave the state on February 1.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, urging her to ensure that the programme is held smoothly in the state.
Congress earlier alleged that some banners featuring Gandhi were vandalised in Jalpaiguri.
State Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also raised concern over facing obstacles in securing permission for organising public meetings as a part of the Yatra in the state.
A day before the Yatra entered West Bengal, CM Banerjee announced that her party, the TMC, will contest the Lok Sabha elections in the state by itself, and not as part of the opposition bloc INDIA.
The Yatra is scheduled to travel 6,713 km over 67 days, traversing 110 districts across 15 states before concluding in Mumbai on March 20 or 21.