Congress to launch 'Parivartan Sankalp Yatra' in poll-bound Gujarat

The Congress will take out the 'Gujarat Parivartan Sankalp Yatra' in five zones of the poll-bound state from Tuesday, during which 145 public meetings and 95 rallies will be held along the route covering more than 5,400 km.

It will be launched from Vadgam, Bhuj, Somnath, Vadgam, Fagvel and Jambusar, party leaders said.

The yatra was earlier scheduled to start on Monday, but was postponed by a day following the Morbi bridge collapse tragedy on Sunday.

The Gujarat Assembly polls are due this year-end the Election Commission is yet to announce its schedule.

Senior Congress leaders, including Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, his Chhattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel, former Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Digvijaya Singh and Kamal Nath, and MLA Sachin Pilot, are expected to join the yatra, party leaders said.

"The Congress' 'Parivartan Sankalp Yatra' will be launched in five zones of Gujarat, and 145 public meetings and 95 rallies will be organised throughout the journey. The yatra, which will cover 5,432 km, aims to establish a direct contact with 4.5 crore people," state Congress president Jagdish Thakor earlier said.

More than 10 lakh party workers will join the yatra and the opposition party will spread the message of 11 promises that it has said it will fulfil if voted to power, he had said.

The Congress has promised to provide free treatment of up to Rs 10 lakh, farmers' debt waiver of up to Rs 3 lakh, electricity bill waiver, 10 lakh government jobs to youth, unemployment allowance of Rs 3,000 per month, opening of 3,000 government English medium schools, Rs 4 lakh compensation for COVID-19 deaths, among other things.