Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday joined the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Karnataka with her presence at the march being viewed in party circles as a major morale booster.
Amid loud cheers and sloganeering by party workers, Sonia Gandhi, 75, walked besides her son Rahul Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders for a few kilometres in Mandya district of Karnataka on Thursday morning.
The top party brass of poll-bound Karnataka led by former chief minister Siddaramaiah and state unit chief D K Shivakumar were also part of the convoy that walked alongside the Gandhis.
The happy images of the mother and son walking together filled social media spaces.
“We have sailed through storms in the past and today too we will break the limits of all challenges and will together unite India,” Rahul Gandhi tweeted as the Yatra continued to traverse Karnataka, where he will stay for another 15 days before moving into Telangana.
“We have weathered many a storm and will overcome all challenges.Together we will unite India,” he said in another tweet in Hindi and posted a photograph of him walking with his mother, his arm around her.
The Congress also posted a picture of the two on Twitter, and said, “Those shielded by love fear nothing! On the road, marching ahead”.
Another post from the party simply said Ma with a heart and the photograph of Rahul Gandhi tying Sonia Gandhi’s shoelaces.
The picture prompted Congress leader Shashi Tharoor to put out a post in Hindi, which said, “There are blessings even when she breathes, no one can replace a mother as mothers are mothers.”
“Adorable,” said several Twitter users about the picture.
Sonia Gandhi’s presence appeared to galvanise those participating in the yatra and bystanders alike with security personnel having a tough time taming the crowds that jostled to get a glimpse of the Congress president.
This is the first time that Sonia Gandhi has joined a public event after recovering from COVID-19 earlier this year. The Congress president had contracted Covid twice and was also hospitalised.
As she tweaked her programme schedule to stay with the yatris for two hours as against the 30 minutes planned earlier, AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh tweeted, “Congress President Sonia Gandhi walked with @RahulGandhi & padayatris between Jakkanahalli & Karadya in Mandya district. Her programme was for only 30 mins. She stayed with #BharatJodoYatra for two hours, energised by support of people of Karnataka & in turn strengthening our resolve.”
