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Congress nyay yatra gets SP boost in Agra
Workers of both the parties raised slogans in their support as the two leaders, accompanied by Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, waved at the crowd
Although it was same Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra of the Congress that moved through Aligarh, Hathras and Agra districts on last day of its Uttar Pradesh leg, mood was far different when it entered Agra and the factor was obvious—addition of the Samajwadi Party (SP).
Workers of both the parties raised slogans in their support as the two leaders, accompanied by Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, waved at the crowd gathered here for the yatra.
The road remained jammed for around two hours with no vehicle passing through crossing of Tedi Bagia in trans Yamuna area. The stage created in front of the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar almost cracked due to the huge gathering of the SP and the Congress leaders there.
The SP workers dominated the scene as the three leaders moved. ‘Parivartan layega-parivartan layega – insaf garibon ko Akhilesh dilwayega’ (Change will come and Akhilesh Yadav will bring justice for the poor) or ‘PDA ki chartarfa tayyari hai, parivartan lana Akhilesh ki zimmedari hai’ (PDA is all prepared and to bring change is Akhilesh’s responsibility) were the songs that dominated the scene.
Saying he would join the yatra after seat sharing was worked out, SP president Akhilesh Yadav kept his word and chose Agra to join the yatra. “Nafrat karne walon ko bhi mohabbat sikha deta hai, ye Agra hai, jo dilon ko mila deta hai,” wrote Akhilesh Yadav on his X handle. According to him, the message of the yatra was clear: “BJP hatao-desh bachao”.
Enthusiasm was not confined to one partner and after long, activists of Congress Sewa Dal, clad in white attire, manned the yatra route. SP leaders and workers were also there in abundance as the vehicle carrying the three leaders inched on the road in trans Yamuna area.
“Things have changed for good. Alliance will work and dislodge the BJP not only in UP but with other parties in other parts of nation too,” said Congress’s state chief Ajay Rai who in reply to question stated that “both Amethi and Rai Bareli are traditional seats of Gandhi family and will remain so”.
Rai attended a press conference organised at Sadabad where yatra took halt for lunch before entering Agra. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh was categorical in stating that the yatra is not an electoral yatra but basically for party organisation and to communicate the ideology for which the Congress stands for.
The yatra stressed on unemployment amongst youth, harm caused because of GST, paper leak, Agniveer scheme in Aligarh but switched to issues faced by potato farmers in Hathras but in Agra they stressed on joint fight against BJP. The yatra later moved to Rajasthan on Sunday evening to reach Dholpur for night halt.
