India Opposition Leader Begins Two-Month Trek Ahead of Elections

  • Rahul Gandhi starts second march to boost electoral chances
  • Route will cover 15 states from India’s east to west

Rahul Gandhi 

Photographer: Raj K Raj/Hindustan Times/Getty Images

Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

The leader of India’s main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, will set off on a march Sunday that will see him traverse the breath of the country — from the eastern state of Manipur to Maharashtra in the west.

While the party is branding Rahul Gandhi’s 15-state trek as “non-political,” most analysts see this as the start of the Congress’s election campaign as it comes just months before national polls begin. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra — roughly translated as the Join India for Justice March — could help Gandhi connect with voters and raise the party’s profile.