Sharad Pawar to join Cong’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ on Nov 8, says Patole

MUMBAI, (PTI): Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar will join the Congress’ Rahul Gandhi-led ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ on November 8, a day after it enters Maharashtra through Nanded.

Confirming the development, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said Pawar has accepted the invite to be part of the nationwide march.

Patole was speaking after attending a meeting to review the preparations for the yatra’s leg in the state. Maharashtra Congress in charge HK Patil and senior party leader KC Venugopal also took part in the meeting.

Patole said Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief Uddhav Thackeray has also been invited but the latter is yet to confirm his presence.

He said Gandhi will address rallies in Nanded and Shegaon in Buldhana as part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

”The Bharat Jodo Yatra’s entry in Nanded coincides with the completion of 75 years of liberation of Marathwada from the rule of the (Hyderabad) Nizam. We will be celebrating the occasion with Rahul Gandhi in Nanded,” Patole said.

Earlier, Venugopal said the sole agenda of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to tarnish the image of Gandhi was getting demolished by the success of the yatra.

”Their only one agenda is to damage Rahul Gandhi’s image in front of people. But this yatra has brought out the real face of Rahul Gandhi and people of India are coming out in huge numbers to support him in every state,” Venugopal claimed.

He said the crowds in Maharashtra for the yatra will be among the biggest. (PTI)