No invite to join Rahul's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Uttar Pradesh, says Akhilesh Yadav

Barely has Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra completed its West Bengal leg, which created more news for the tiff with INDIA ally Mamata Banerjee of All India Trinamool Congress, comes a signal of potential trouble with another ally.

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, with whom the Congress was already having trouble in inking a seat-sharing deal for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, on Sunday said he had not yet received any invitation to join Rahul Gandhi's yatra when it enters Uttar Pradesh in mid-February.

However, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the yatra route was still being finalised for UP and that allies would be invited.


Incidentally, the All India Congress Committee had released the broad yatra route to the media last month.

Asked by journalists whether he would join Gandhi's yatra when it enters Uttar Pradesh, Yadav said, "Many big events are organised, but we are not invited. Why should we seek an invitation?"

West Bengal CM and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee too had complained that she was not informed of the yatra's West Bengal itinerary.

As Yadav's comments made headlines, Jairam Ramesh said, "The detailed route and programme of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Uttar Pradesh is being prepared. It will be finalised in a day or two. After this, it will be shared with the constituent parties of INDIA alliance in the state. His (Yadav's) participation in the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will further strengthen the INDIA alliance. The yatra is expected to enter UP on the afternoon of February 16."

The yatra's current tour of Jharkhand coincides with the Congress' partner JMM-led state government of new CM Champai Soren trying to prove its majority in the assembly amid some voices of discontent among JMM MLAs and reports of the BJP's ambush bid.