Telangana Congress gears up for ‘Bharat Jodo’ yatra

Hyderabad: With the Bharat Jodo yatra of Congress senior leader Rahul Gandhi likely to enter Telangana on October 24, Congress leaders from the state were all excited geared up to make a grand success of it.

Towards formally securing permission from the police, senior leaders led by TPCC chief A. Revanth Reddy called on Director-General of Police M. Mahendar Reddy at his office and gave him the proposed 375-km route map and applied for approval. Revanth Reddy has previously joined Rahul Gandhi during his padayatra.

The proposed route map, pending final approval, shows Rahul Gandhi entering Telangana at the Krishna river bridge near Maktal and exiting the state after 375 km. The Congress leader will walk via Devakadra, Mahbubnagar, Jadcherla, Shadnagar, Hyderabad, Sangareddy, Jogipet, Shankarampet and Madnoor before entering Maharashtra.

In Hyderabad, he is expected to walk through Aramgarh, Charminar, Afzalgunj, Moazzamjahi market, Gandhi Bhavan, Nampally Dargah, Vijaynagar Colony, Nagarjuna Circle, Panjagutta,  Kukatpally, Miyapur and Patancheruvu, along the national highway.

The team included CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and former PCC chief V. Hanumantha Rao. “We urged him to provide foolproof bandobast arrangements after Rahul Gandhi enters the State,” said Bhatti while briefing media persons outside the DGP office.  

Earlier in the day, Revanth Reddy along with senior leaders held a review meeting with their Maharashtra counterparts, who were in town. Led by Maharashtra’s CLP leader Balasaheb Thorat, they discussed the planned route from where the yatra was likely to pass through.

Describing the yatra as an epoch-making one, Revanth Reddy said that the Telangana Congress leadership was closely coordinating with neighbouring states. The team along with state leaders toured locations surrounding Hyderabad from where the yatra is likely to pass through.

“In order to make it a historical yatra, a common committee for better coordination will be formed between the two states,” he said while briefing the media, later.

Thorat pointed out that the yatra was getting good response from Maharashtrians.  “We have received inputs regarding the route map in Telangana. In sync with that, we shall be coming up with our own route map shortly,” he said.