Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra received an instant boost on Sunday with Akhilesh Yadav joining it in Agra with thousands of his supporters and declaring that the Samajwadi Party and the Congress were on the same page.
As though eager to see him with Rahul, a large number of Samajwadi workers had gathered at the Tedi Bagia Chauraha intersection since morning, chanting slogans in favour of Akhilesh as well as Rahul.
"United, we can defeat the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. The best thing about the SP-Congress alliance is their focus on the common issue of the deprivation of the backward and underprivileged classes," Ranjit Chauhan, a local youth, was quoted as saying to reporters.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was part of the Yatra. The three leaders stood on an open jeep and addressed the gathering and later waved to the crowds flanking the Yatra route.
"Rahul is talking about the 73 per cent combined population of the Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and Akhilesh’s party is holding village and block-level meetings of the PDA (Peechhra-Dalit-Alpsankhak or OBC-Dalit-minorities)," Chauhan said.
“Over 85 per cent of the population haven’t got anything from the Narendra Modi government. We were waiting to hear the good news of the SP and the Congress coming together; it was truly confirmed today."
Chauhan claimed the Yatra had drawn a crowd of one lakh people in Agra, of whom half were Samajwadi supporters. "This means the SP workers too are with the Congress."
The two parties have sealed an agreement under which the Samajwadis will contest 63 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh while the Congress will contest the remaining 17.
Akhilesh dubbed the campaign "PDA Yatra-Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra".
“This government is wrecking the dreams of our youths and farmers. The youths have no future because they have no employment. We have news that youths are burning their degrees and committing suicide," he said.
A young man identified by the police as Brijesh Pal apparently burnt his degrees and hanged himself in Kannauj on Friday.
“Uttar Pradesh was supposed to provide the highest number of jobs (among the states). But there hasn’t been a single recruitment exam whose papers haven’t been leaked. The papers are leaked deliberately because the state government doesn’t want to give jobs to our youths. This government works for the benefit of a select few,” Akhilesh said.
Several recent recruitment exams have been cancelled following paper leaks, which means the advertised vacancies haven’t been filled.
“The INDIA coalition and the struggle of the PDA will defeat this government in this election. The BJP will be wiped out wherever the PDA gets united,” the Samajwadi president said.
“I congratulate (Rahul) on this Yatra because it has been able to send its message across the country. I thank all those who have been making this Yatra a success. But the real success will come when the BJP is dislodged from Uttar Pradesh.”
Akhilesh went on to air a slogan: “BJP bhagao, loktantra bachao (Oust the BJP, save democracy).”
Priyanka said: “The people of the country want justice, equality and equal opportunities. The people want love, peace, harmony and growth. The country is united in the journey for justice.”
Shortly before Akhilesh joined the Yatra, the Samajwadi Party released a theme song that was played in Agra, Lucknow and other places and on social media platforms.
“Akhilesh hi sahara hai, Akhilesh sahara hai. Gathbandhan hai ye INDIA ka. Gathbandhan ki khatir, Rahul aur Akhilesh ki khatir, vote karo is desh ki khatir. Loktantra bachana hai (Akhilesh is the hope. This is the INDIA alliance. Vote for this alliance, for Rahul and Akhilesh, for this country. We have to save democracy),” went the lyrics.
Rahul said: “A conspiracy is being hatched to create divisions between brothers; we have to fight this conspiracy. This country understands love and not hatred.”