Patna: Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar reached its final stage in Patna, though the Congress leader’s convoy was temporarily stalled in traffic about a kilometre from Gandhi Maidan. Vehicles entering the city from the JP Ganga Path were halted, causing a jam stretching from R Block to GPO Golambar. Congress leaders were reportedly delayed for around five minutes as efforts were made to ease congestion.
The padyatra, named ‘Gandhi se Ambedkar’, began at Gandhi Maidan and is set to conclude four kilometres away near the Ambedkar statue by Patna High Court. Gandhi had arrived from Delhi earlier in the day and left the airport en route to the gathering.
Other political figures were also heading to Gandhi Maidan. Bihar opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav, speaking to the media on the way, warned, “Those who destroy democracy and constitution will get a befitting reply.” CPI(ML) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya, travelling with workers, added, “Today is the end of the yatra, but it is just a stopover. Our fight for the rights of voters will continue.”
A host of leaders from the I.N.D.I. alliance and allied parties attended the event, including TMC MP Yusuf Pathan, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut, NCP leader Supriya Sule, KC Venugopal, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Revanth Reddy, Ashok Gehlot, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. Shiv Kumar. An estimated 20,000 party workers gathered at Gandhi Maidan, where a stage had been set up for the concluding ceremony.
