A cross-section of the society has joined the Congress’s Sagar thekey Pahar (from the sea to the mountains) rally that had started from Gangasagar on December 28 and reached Calcutta on Monday.

Actors Sreelekha Mitra and Badshah Moitra walked alongside state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury when the march reached Calcutta on Monday. Physician Kunal Sarkar, an opinion maker in the state, also joined the rally near Shyambazar in the city.

Former advocate general Jayanta Mitra issued a video message, extending his support to the procession. The video was shared on the Facebook page of the Congress’s state unit.

“I believe the rally is important on four basic points. They are solidarity, courtesy, sympathy and cooperation. I compliment this rally...,” Mitra said in the video message.

According to sources in the Congress, poet Mandakranta Sen is likely to join the rally which will resume from Madhyamgram on Wednesday.

Congress leaders believe if the traction generated by the rally in the last couple of days can be retained for some more time, the political significance of the party will grow in Bengal. At present, the Congress doesn’t have representation in the Assembly and the state leadership is trying to energise the party rank ahead of panchayat polls.

Chowdhury said on Tuesday that Rahul Gandhi should be credited for the response generated by the rally. “It is not about the Congress. It is Rahul Gandhi’s message that has found takers all across the country as well as in Bengal. As a party, we invited a lot of people to join us. Many of them have turned up and we are grateful (to them).”