Mandya, Karnataka: The Congress celebration’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started on 7 September from Kanyakumari completes a month on the highway. Rahul Gandhi and a bunch of 150 celebration employees have traversed 690 kms throughout three states — Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
Talking to ThePrint on the sidelines of the yatra in Karnataka, Jairam Ramesh, one in all its coordinators and Common Secretary in-charge of communications within the celebration, mentioned that the purpose of the Yatra wasn’t simply to win elections.
“This was by no means conceived as a ‘Chunav Jitao Yatra’ when it was conceived in Udaipur. It was seen as a Yatra to rejuvenate the Congress. It was seen as a Yatra to revive, resuscitate and reinvigorate the Congress celebration organisation round a nationwide narrative aside from political energy”, mentioned Ramesh.
He additionally addressed the criticism the celebration is dealing with for not taking the Yatra by Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh — two states which can be going to polls later this 12 months.
Ramesh mentioned that the yatra, which began from Kanyakumari, would take 90 days to succeed in Gujarat, by which era the elections could be over. He additionally defined that since this was a padyatra (journey by foot), on Rahul Gandhi’s insistence, and never a “hybrid” yatra, a detour to Gujarat, from the linear route the yatra is following now, wouldn’t be attainable.
“Extra importantly, the celebration organisation in Gujarat would have been utterly immersed within the yatra and it might impression our election preparedness”, he mentioned.
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However then, why not begin the yatra from Kashmir, we requested.
“Shankaracharya went from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. The Bhakti motion went from South to North. Why ought to we at all times have India conceived as North to South? It additionally rolls from the tongue, you see. Kanyakumari se Kashmir. Bharat Jodo”, Ramesh mentioned.
On a lighter notice, Ramesh additionally spoke about his expertise strolling within the yatra on the age of 67. He additionally heaped praises on fellow Bharat Jodo coordinator Digivijaya Singh for strolling over 20kms a day on the age of 74.
“We’re the 2 bechaaras of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. He (Digvijaya) is seven years older than me however he walks rather more than me. He’s truly subject marshall Digvijaya Singh and walks the entire distance. I stroll possibly 8kms within the morning and possibly a kilometre and a half within the night as a result of I’ve the communications half and different issues to handle. However Digvijaya Singh is totally phenomenal”, he says.
“He’s tremendous match. He’s achieved a 3200 kms Narmada Parikrama Yatra. He does yoga within the morning. He fasts 4 occasions every week,” he added.
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For the primary time, Congress is setting the narrative
When requested concerning the response the Yatra’s obtained over the past month, Ramesh mentioned that for the primary time, the Congress was “taking part in cricket on a pitch we now have ready”.
“The response in Tamil Nadu and Kerala was as per our expectations. The response in Karnataka has far exceeded our expectations. That’s as a result of we thought it is a BJP-ruled state and we may have logistical points. However aside from connectivity, we had no such points. We had an outstanding response to Mr Rahul Gandhi in Mysuru and an excellent response to the Congress President in Mandya”, mentioned Ramesh.
“On the finish of 30 days and 690kms, I’d say that the yatra has succeeded in infusing new life into the Congress celebration and positively set the cat among the many pigeons within the BJP-RSS. The RSS is mouthing the language of Bharat Jodo and the ‘soiled tips division’ of the BJP is working additional time to discredit us. That, I believe, is a tribute to the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The truth that we at the moment are setting the narrative”.
Not a ‘new’ Rahul Gandhi, however the ‘actual’ Rahul Gandhi
All through the yatra, the communications workforce of the Congress, led by Ramesh, has been profitable in circulating photographs and movies of Rahul Gandhi which have change into viral on social media and have been lapped up by the information media. As ThePrint has reported, these images and movies present a enjoyable and accessible Gandhi, who is usually criticised for being an unapproachable dynast.
Ramesh, nonetheless, contends that the imagery of the yatra doesn’t present a “new” Rahul Gandhi, however the “actual” Rahul Gandhi.
“He’s been lampooned and caricatured for too lengthy. The general public picture that has been created does gross disrespect to his personal beliefs, his convictions, his passions and his imaginative and prescient for India”, mentioned Ramesh.
Nonetheless, he reiterates what Rahul Gandhi has mentioned earlier than, which is that Rahul just isn’t “main” the yatra. However, why then, is a lot of the celebration’s consideration centered on him?
“He occupies a particular place within the Congress celebration. In his legacy and by way of his contributions. He’s younger, he’s personable, he needs to stroll 25kms a day. Solely Digvijaya Singh, who’s 24 years older to him, can match him. Congress celebration is thus specializing in him however it’s not a Rahul Gandhi Yatra, it’s a Congress yatra. He’s by no means mentioned he’s main the yatra. He has maintained that he’s one of many 150 yatris of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.”
‘Congress Presidential Elections a Matinee Present’
When requested concerning the much-talked-about upcoming presidential elections within the celebration, Ramesh known as it a “facet present” when in comparison with the Yatra.
“It’s a facet present, a morning present, a matinee present. However the night housefull present is the Yatra. I’m not dropping sleep over the elections. I’m dropping sleep over the Yatra”, he declares.
“In our 137-year historical past we now have had elections on 4 events. I personally choose the Kamraj mannequin of consensus constructing which resulted in Jawaharlal Nehru’s successor being chosen and, afterward, Lal Bahadur Shastri’s successor being chosen. The Congress celebration is the one celebration that has a system for electing its president”.
He additionally denies that any of the 2 contenders — Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor — are being favoured by the Gandhis, as is the favored notion.
“(Madhusudan) Mistry has pointed it out. Mr. Rahul Gandhi has pointed it out. There isn’t any official candidate. I’ve identified Shashi Tharoor since 1974 once I got here to Hindu Faculty representing IIT Bombay for a quiz competitors and he was representing St. Stephen’s. I’ve identified Kharge ji since 1998. I’ve labored very carefully with him over the past twenty years. They’re contrasting folks, contrasting types. Finally the one who contributes essentially the most to strengthening the organisation will win.”
The brand new communication workforce’s A-C-T coverage
In June this 12 months, Ramesh was handed accountability of the celebration’s communication division which was criticised for having stagnated below his predecessor Randeep Surjewala.
Since he’s taken over, the communications division has palpably been extra aggressive, even guaranteeing that they obtain on-air apologies from nationwide information channels which ran faux information about Rahul Gandhi and the Congress.
So, what’s Ramesh doing totally different from Surjewala? He says that the communications division’s technique now’s one in all A-C-T — aggressive, concise and well timed.
“When Mrs Gandhi requested me to take this job, there’s just one factor she instructed me and that’s that it is a 24×7 job. I obtained the trace. Usually I sleep at 10pm, however now I’m sleeping at 2am and tweeting at 1.30am!” says Ramesh about his new function.
“I’m very clear that if the BJP assaults you, you assault them again in the identical language. In the event that they’re taking part in cricket, not by the principles of cricket however by the principles of another recreation, then be taught the principles of that recreation and play them by these guidelines.”
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)
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