Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra enters West Bengal, hopeful of finding solution to seat-sharing with TMC: Congress

Rahul Gandhi. Pic/PTI

Rahul Gandhi-led Congress party's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' entered West Bengal on Thursday. The Congress leaders have confidence that the opposition INDIA bloc will fight against injustice across the country.

Accusing the BJP and RSS of spreading hatred and violence, Rahul Gandhi said the word 'Nyay' (justice) has been attached with the yatra as "injustice is prevailing across the country", news wire PTI reported. BJP and RSS are spreading hatred and violence. The INDIA bloc will fight against injustice across the country," he said.

Gandhi was welcomed by state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury. The yatra entered West Bengal through Bakshirhat in Cooch Behar district in the northern part of the state.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday said the party is hopeful of finding a solution to the seat-sharing with the Trinamool Comgress (TMC). On Wednesday TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee made a surprise announcement of going solo in the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal.

Banerjee's sudden comments forced the Congress to adopt a conciliatory approach with party spokesperson Jairam Ramesh asserting that the opposition bloc INDIA "cannot be imagined without Mamata Banerjee."

Ramesh, while speaking to reporters at the Bagdogra airport said that the Congress cannot think of an INDIA bloc without Banerjee as she is indispensable in the fight against the BJP in the country.

"We all want Mamata Banerjee to be a part of the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' as our motto is common. If we want to defeat the BJP in Bengal and India, she is very much needed. I don't want to make any running commentary on seat-sharing, but we want this impasse to end and we will find a solution," he added.

The CPI(M) and Left parties- the allies of the Congress within the state and the INDIA bloc at the national level are expected to join the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in West Bengal. However, the TMC has chosen to abstain, citing a lack of information about the yatra, a PTI report said.

The Bengal leg of the yatra covers 523 km across six districts and six Lok Sabha constituencies. The yatra which started on January 14 from Manipur, is scheduled to cover 6,713 km in 67 days, passing through 110 districts in 15 states before concluding in Mumbai on March 20.

(With PTI inputs)