Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra 2.0 will start on January 14 from Manipur in a nod to the northeastern state that is nonetheless struggling to achieve regular after months of ethnic violence. The 66-day 6,700-km march — now referred to as Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra — will cowl 15 states and over 100 Lok Sabha constituencies, earlier than culminating at Gujarat’s Porbandar — the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. The get together was initially planning to start the yatra from Arunachal Pradesh.

As with the start, the identify of the second section of the march was modified. Senior Congress chief Jairam Ramesh stated they determined so as to add the phrase “Jodo” to recreate the influence generated by final 12 months’s Bharat Jodo Yatra.

“The idea of Rahul Gandhi’s Yatra is Justice. The objective is to ensure political, economic and social justice for people of India,” Mr Ramesh stated.

The Bharat Jodo Kanyakumari-Srinagar Yatra, which traversed India from south to north, had generated a lot goodwill, the Congress had stated. It additionally modified the attitude of many in the direction of Mr Gandhi as a severe political chief with a heat in the direction of individuals, leaders of the Congress had privately admitted.

The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will start from Imphal at 12.30 pm. It will go by way of Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, Arunanchal Pradesh, Meghalaya and went Bengal earlier than reaching central India.

Unlike the final time although, the Yatra won’t be fully on foot. For elements of the journey, the get together will use buses, Jairam Ramesh advised reporters this afternoon.

The change is as a lot as a consequence of time constraint imposed by the final election because the well being issues of the get together’s aged leaders. More than one chief had made headlines final 12 months because of the exertion they confronted, maintaining with the fantastically match Rahul Gandhi.

“We are inviting leaders of all the parties of INDIA alliance, their supporters, the general public and NGOs to participate in the yatra,” Mr Ramesh stated.

Asked if Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party – which has not pulled punches the place the Congress is anxious – can be invited, Mr Ramesh stated all events which are a part of the INDIA bloc have been invited. “And AAP and Arvind Kejriwal are part of INDIA,” he identified.

All Chief Ministers belonging to the opposition bloc can be current at Imphal to flag off the yatra, the Congress has stated.