“Manipur to Mumbai”: Congress announces Rahul Gandhi’s 'Bharat Nyay Yatra' covering 14 States ahead of 2024 elections

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is gearing up for the 'Bharat Nyay Yatra,' a yatra connecting India's northeastern and western regions ahead of the all-important 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Commencing on January 14, the yatra spans 6,200 kilometers from Manipur to Mumbai, concluding on March 20, announced Congress Secretary KC Venugopal on Wednesday. This public outreach program has been regarded as the second phase and the East-West leg of his previous north-south Bharat Jodo Yatra, which may have been a deciding factor in the grand old party’s victory in the southern states of Karnataka and Telangana.

"On December 21, Congress Working Committee unanimously gave an opinion that Rahul Gandhi should start a yatra from East to West. Rahul Gandhi also agreed to fulfill the wishes of the CWC. All India Congress Committee has decided to hold a 'Bharat Nyay Yatra' from January 14 to March 20, from Manipur to Mumbai," announced KC Venugopal at a press conference.

Rahul Gandhi is slated to traverse 14 states and 85 districts during the 'Bharat Nyay Yatra,' a journey officially inaugurated by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge in Imphal. The states covered would include Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. The extensive route will involve both bus rides and foot marches.

The primary objective of the Nyay Yatra, as asserted by the Congress, is to advocate for economic, social, and political justice for the people of the country. Addressing the choice of the violence-affected Manipur as the starting point, the Congress stated that the decision was aimed at initiating a process of healing the wounds of the people in the region. “In this yatra, Rahul Gandhi is going to interact with the youth, women, and marginalized people,” said the party’s general secretary.

In September 2022, Rahul Gandhi embarked on the Bharat Jodo Yatra, covering a distance of 4,500 km over 150 days, from Kanyakumari. The foot march, spanning five months and involving the active participation of numerous Congress workers and Opposition leaders, concluded in Srinagar in January.