Karnataka leg of Bharat Jodo Yatra begins from Gundlupet

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi leads a march towards Begur on the national highway enroute to Mysuru

The Karnataka leg of Bharat Jodo Yatra began from Gundlupet on the State's border with Kerala on Friday with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi leading a march of a large number of people towards Begur on the national highway enroute to Mysuru.

Soon after his arrival in Gundlupet from Kerala, Mr Gandhi addressed a public gathering and said the Congress party was left with no option but to hit the roads for their mission to "unite the country" (Bharat Jodo) after the ruling BJP suppressed their voice from highlighting the burning problems of the country in the Parliament and the media.

The party's voice had been stifled in the media and Parliament from speaking up against the spread of hatred in the society by pitting sections of people against each other for political gains, rising unemployment and skyrocketing prices of essential commodities, he lamented.

In the coming days, when his padayatra will pass through parts of old Mysore region and Central Karnataka, the party will raise issues affecting the people of Karnataka, including the alleged corruption in the BJP government. He said the Bharat Jodo Yatra is a platform for the general public to voice their problems. The exercise will also help the party understand the "voice of India".

A host of Congress leaders from Karnataka including former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief D K Shivakumar and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council B K Hariprasad, besides AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala accompanied Mr Gandhi on Friday.