Telangana Congress chief launches padyatra

Hyderabad, Feb 6:  Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President, A. Revanth Reddy, on Monday launched Haath Se Haath Jodo padyatra in the state to take Rahul Gandhi's message of Bharat Jodo Yatra to people.

The padyatra is also aimed at highlighting the failures of the Central and the state governments.

Revanth Reddy launched the foot-march in Mulugu district after offering prayers to tribal deities Sammakka and Saralamma.

He along with local Congress MLA Seethakka and hundreds of party workers participated in the walkathon for six kilometers on the first day.

Addressing the participants, Reddy said he would work the spirit of tribal warriors Sammakka and Saralamma to fight and end autocratic and feudal rule in the state.

Reddy, who is also a Member of Parliament, later tweeted that the first day of the padyatra was a huge success. "We will continue to take the message of our leader Rahul Gandhi Ji to every nook and corner of the state," he said.

Reddy would walk 20 to 25 km each day and interact with a cross-section of people along the padayatra route with an objective of covering 60 Assembly constituencies in the state in phases in the next two months.

Congress MP Uttam Kumar Reddy and some other top leaders also launched padyatras in their respective constituencies.

In Mahabubnagar, Adilabad and other places, protests were also held as part of padyatras demanding action against industrialist Adani over the scam. The protestors raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Adani, alleging that the government at the Centre is trying to shield the industrialist.

Congress leaders alleged that PM Modi is protecting his best friend. They staged a protest against the Modi government's refusal to allow a debate in Parliament or to constitute Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the scam.