Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday held discussions with the fishermen community here at the Vadackal beach ahead of starting the 12th day of his party's Bharat Jodo Yatra.
In an early morning meeting, Gandhi discussed the challenges of rising fuel costs, reduced subsidies, dwindling fish stock and environmental destruction among other issues.
"At 6am, @RahulGandhi interacted with fisherfolk at Vadackal beach in Alappuzha on their challenges rising fuel costs, reduced subsidies, dwindling fish stock, lack of social welfare & pensions, inadequate educational opportunities, and environmental destruction. #BharatJodoYatra," senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted.
The yatra on Monday was kickstarted from Punnapra and senior Congress leaders K Muraleedharan, Kodikkunnil Suresh, Ramesh Chennithala, K C Venugopal and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan accompanied Gandhi.
The morning leg of the yatra will conclude at Kalavoor, after covering around 16 km. It will resume at 4.30 pm and will travel around nine kilometres before halting at Mayithara near Cherthala.
The Congress' 3,570 km and 150-day-long foot march started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7 and will conclude in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which entered Kerala on September 10 evening, will go through the state covering 450 km, touching seven districts over a period of 19 days before entering Karnataka on October 1.