Congress pins hope to reap rich dividend from Rahul's forthcoming Odisha visit

Bhubaneswar: Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha member from Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi, will spend at least four days in Odisha during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

According to senior Congress leader and former minister Sarat Rout, the Yatra in Odisha will pass through Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Jharsuguda districts.

While Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar come under the northern part of the state, Sundergarh and Jharsuguda belong to Western Odisha.

The Congress which appears to be making serious efforts this time to regain its lost ground in Odisha believes Rahul’s visit to the state will help it gain rich electoral benefits in the forthcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.

In Odisha, Lok Sabha and Assembly polls will be held simultaneously.

Announcing details about Rahul’s state programme on the sidelines of launching of Bharat Yoda Nyay Yatra logo at Congress Bhawan here, Rout said the party workers were quite upbeat and working tirelessly to ensure that the Yatra evoked wide response and participation by the common people.

“Rahul has always stood by  Odisha people. In the past, he has raised concerns in the Parliament over attempts by powerful elements to grab tribal lands. Besides, he has also always highlighted the pitiable conditions of the people, especially of the migrant workers. People of Odisha have a special connection with the Gandhi family and Rahul’s visit would once again strengthen this affinity,” claimed Rout.   

Rahul’s Yatra will cover 6,713 km in India. It will cover 110 districts in 15 states. The duration of the yatra will be 66 days. It will start from Manipur and conclude in Mumbai.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Sarat Pattanayak appealed to people to join the Yatra in a large number and make it a success.

The OPCC released a phone number which can be dialed by people interested in joining the party during the Yatra.

The Yatra is set to commence on January 14 and culminate on March 20.