Cong leaders pay tributes to Indira Gandhi on her birth anniversary

NEW DELHI: Several Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and party chief President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday, paid tributes to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her birth anniversary. Rahul Gandhi on Saturday, paid tributes to his grandmother Indira Gandhi during his ongoing 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in Maharashtra.

Also, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also paid floral tributes to the former PM on her birth anniversary at Shakti Sthal in Delhi. Earlier today, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Hooda also paid floral tributes to the former PM at the Shakti Sthal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi too paid tributes to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her birth anniversary. "Tributes to our former PM Mrs Indira Gandhi Ji on her birth anniversary," PM Modi tweeted.

Meanwhile, Bharat Jodo Yatra is currently in its Maharashtra leg. Before entering Maharashtra, the Yatra has already covered parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. Bharat Jodo Yatra, which began on September 7 from Kanyakumari, will cover a further distance of 2,355 km in its 3,570-km march. It will end in Kashmir next year. Under this, Rahul Gandhi will travel through 15 Assembly and 6 Parliamentary Constituencies in five districts of Maharashtra and would cover a distance of 382 Kms.

It is the longest march on foot by any Indian politician in the history of India, the Congress claimed earlier in a statement. Bharat Jodo Yatra is getting support from various political parties and social organizations across the country. Notably, all the party MPs, leaders and workers, along with Rahul Gandhi, are in containers. Sleeping beds, toilets and ACs are also installed in some of the containers. The arrangements have been made keeping in view the intense heat and humidity with the change of places.

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