“We’ve sailed through storms in the past. Today, too, we will break the limits of all challenges and will together unite India,” Rahul tweeted and posted a photograph of him walking with his mother, his arm around her. Her daughter and Congress general secretary for Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is also expected to attend the rally this week, tweeted: “Congress president Sonia Gandhi joined the Bharat Jodo Yatra today. The whole country will be united and will move forward strongly.”
Sonia, in a red cotton printed sari, walked some distance flanked by former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and state unit chief DK Shivakumar, and followed by a host of party functionaries, amid loud cheers and sloganeering by party workers.
She returned to her car after being persuaded by Rahul. After some time, she again alighted from the car. Sonia interacted with children, women and partymen. She ended her walk as Rahul and other Congress leaders took a tea break at Chowdenahalli Gate in Pandavapura taluk.
The interim Congress chief, who is about to hand over the reins to a non-Gandhi politician once elections to the post of party chief are concluded later this month, is expected to address a rally in Ballari to galvanise the party in the BJP-ruled state that will go to polls next year.
The Congress posted a picture of the two on Twitter, and said: “Those shielded by love fear nothing! On the road, marching ahead.” Another post from the party simply said ‘Ma’ with a heart and a photograph of Rahul tying Sonia Gandhi’s shoelaces.
The photograph prompted Congress presidential candidate Shashi Tharoor to put out a post in Hindi, which said: “There are blessings even when she breathes. No one can replace a mother as mothers are mothers.”
