Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra rekindles faint hopes of a Congress revival in Andhra Pradesh

“We had a tremendous response to the yatra. In fact, some of our leaders were quite surprised by the enthusiasm and response we had and I think this is a very good starting point to build the Congress party in Andhra Pradesh,” said Rahul Gandhi in one of his media interactions in Kurnool.

Altogether, he walked in Kurnool district for three days, which is, incidentally, his longest stay in Andhra Pradesh, once a Congress bastion.

Why Congress lost relevance

The current irrelevance of the Congress in Andhra Pradesh is a direct result of the bifurcation of the state in 2014. Since the bifurcation, executed much against the wishes of the people of what is today Andhra, the party has not won a single seat in the Assembly or in the Lok Sabha.

Why only the Assembly and Parliament, the party could not win even a division in a municipal corporation anywhere.

After the division of the state, the entire Congress vote bank and most of its leaders shifted to the YSRCP, floated by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, son of the once-strong Congress leader, YS Rajasekhar Reddy.

However, what is left of the local Congress, appears to have put in efforts to make the Andhra Pradesh leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra a success, given the tremendous response the yatra received in Kerala and Karnataka.

Related: What changed for Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kerala to Karnataka

Rivals take note, and potshots

The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra marched through Kurnool even as political rivals YSRCP and the BJP took potshots at the Congress MP from Wayanad in Kerala.

With Rahul Gandhi himself admitting that his leaders were surprised at the response to the yatra, YSRCP and BJP leaders accused the Congress of leaving Andhra in a shambles, without acting on the concrete policy decisions that bifurcation required, especially the Special Category Status the state has been demanding.

Hope of a revival

As Rahul Gandhi entered Andhra Pradesh, only a handful of those who enjoyed perks when the party was at the helm turned up. KVP Ramachandra Rao, JD Seelam, Koppula Raju, MM Pallam Raju, Gidugu Rudra Raju, Sake Sailajanath, Tulasi Reddy, and Sheik Mastan Vali were among the few that walked alongside him.

“Rahul is like Adi Sankaracharya for the revival of Congress. What Adisankara contributed to the renaissance of Sanathana Dharma, Rahul’s yatra would do the party. As far as Andhra is concerned, it is a trial run. State leaders should utilise these high spirits and organise three regional meets of Congress old guards, Gandhians, and lovers of Nehru-Indira in the state,” well-known political  analyst and educationist Prof DAR Subrahmanyam told South First.

“They should go on a Yagnam. Minorities, seculars should be brought back.”

Rahul’s interactions

Rahul, during his four-day yatra in Andhra Pradesh, interacted with diverse groups

He tried to strike a chord with the public in the state by connecting with them on emotive issues like the completion of the Polavaram project and the grant of Special Category Status. He also delved into the controversial three-capitals issue and reiterated that Amaravati should be the only capital of the state.

“The Congress stands committed to granting Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh and developing a single capital at Amaravati. We support the continuation of the public sector status of the Visakhapatnam steel plant as it is an asset of the Indian people,” said Rahul Gandhi after winding up his yatra in Andhra Pradesh and proceeding further.

“We note that the state government has systematically undermined the Panchayat Raj system in Andhra Pradesh, and are strongly opposed to this assault on democratic institutions. We will also continue to amplify the voice of farmers, youth, women, workers, and many other stakeholders whom we interacted with over the last three days,” he added

He said that his party remembers the commitments made in 2014, in and by Parliament, to the people of Andhra Pradesh.

“These are not assurances made by one person or one party, but have been made by the Parliament to the people of Andhra Pradesh. We are determined to ensure that these commitments are met — fully and speedily. Both the central and state governments have failed in this regard,” Rahul Gandhi said.

Related: How Yatra changed perception about Rahul Gandhi in Kerala

Acknowledges challenges

Rahul Gandhi also acknowledged that his party faced challenges in Andhra Pradesh.

“The Congress is deeply aware of the challenges we face in Andhra Pradesh. The state has been a bastion of the party in the past and has produced outstanding statesmen for India. We are determined to do all we can to ensure that Congress returns to its pre-eminent position in the hearts and minds of the Andhra people,” Rahul Gandhi asserted.

“I believe that the Bharat Jodo Yatra will serve as the first step forward in this journey.”

Poor media coverage

The media in Andhra Pradesh has not given enough importance to Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. Even the little coverage his yatra received was due to his interaction with those related to controversial issues like the three-capitals plan and the privatisation of the Vizag steel plant.

Both Amaravati farmers and workers of the Vizag Steel Plant had met Rahul Gandhi during the yatra.

Leading Telugu dailies like Eenadu, Sakshi, and Andhra Jyothy provided space for Rahul’s yatra, but on the inside pages, except for a day or two when there were pointers on page one.

Regional editions of the English dailies also gave space on the inside pages and on page 1 only when he spoke on burning topics like the Amaravati capital and the contentious bifurcation.

~@RahulGandhi గారు మీరు అడుగు పెడుతున్న కర్నూలు జిల్లాలో ఉన్న దేశ ద్రోహ సంస్థలు @PFIKerala , పుట్టింది గతంలో మీ నాయకత్వంలో ఉన్న @INCIndia ప్రభుత్వంలో కేరళలోనే కదా !#AndhraRejectedCongress @JPNadda @blsanthosh pic.twitter.com/ZeE8iE9gor

— Vishnu Vardhan Reddy (Modi ka Parivar) (@SVishnuReddy) October 19, 2022

The Congress came up with the 150 day Bharat Jodo Yatra just to try to stop @RahulGandhi from leaving India on a foreign tour. The toughest task for Rahul Gandhi is not the walk but to resist the temptation of flying abroad on a vacation. This is the longest he has been in India.

— Vijayasai Reddy V (@VSReddy_MP) October 9, 2022