Amid snowfall, Congress holds rally to mark culmination of Bharat Jodo Yatra

Srinagar: In a show of opposition strength, leaders of several national and regional parties on Monday braved snowfall and bone-chilling cold to share the stage with Congress leaders at a rally organised to mark the culmination of the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar.

The Congress rally was held at the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium amid tight security and heavy snowfall.

Besides Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Wayanad Lok Sabha MP was also joined by leaders from DMK, JMM, BSP, NC, PDP, CPI, RSP, VCK and IUML.

Addressing the rally to mark the Kanyakumari to Kashmir yatra, CPI leader D Raja urged all secular parties of the country to unite.

"We all fought together for the independence of the country and liberated the country from British Raj. All secular parties must come together to liberate the country from BJP Raj," he said.

Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and National Confrence (NC) leader Omar Abdullah asked former Congress president Rahul Gandhi to undertake another yatra from west to east of the country.

"On this last function of the yatra, I congratulate Gandhi on behalf of myself, my father and my party. This yatra has been successful. This yatra has shown that there are people in the country who like the BJP but there are also those who like the other idea which is of brotherhood," he said.

"I request Rahul Gandhi to undertake a yatra from west to east. I would like to walk with him," Abdullah added.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said the country sees a ray of hope in Gandhi.

RSP leader Premchandran declared his party's solidarity with the Congress leader. "A historic movement was undertaken. Rahul Gandhi has proved that he is the right leader to fight against these divisive forces," he said.

During the course of the yatra, Rahul Gandhi addressed 12 public meetings, over 100 corner meetings, 13 press conferences. He had over 275 planned walking interactions and more than 100 sitting interactions.

Earlier in the day, Gandhi hoisted the national flag at the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' camp site at in Panthachowk.

With the rally, the curtains have come down on the yatra that traversed a dozen states and two Union territories in nearly five months after its launch on September 7 last year in Kanyakumari.