From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Moka (Ballari), Oct 16: Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi took time off his Bharat Jodo Yatra to visit party workers who were injured and fell due to an electric shock while tying the flags to a pole in Ballari and were rushed to the Civil Hospital in New Moka of Ballari district on Sunday.

After visiting the hospital, Rahul in a Facebook post said: “An unfortunate incident occurred during the Yatra today. A few of our friends suffered an electric shock while tying flags to a pole. They have been tended to in the Civil Hospital, New Moka, Ballari. I am happy to see that they have not suffered any major injuries, and their morale continues to remain high.’’

“Even in this moment of distress, the spirit of the #BharatJodoYatra took over. Those injured were immediately helped and taken care of, their safety and health prioritised. I would like to take this opportunity to tell all those involved in the Yatra to take safety precautions and utmost care while they go about fulfilling their duties as we forge ahead in our mission to unite India,’’ he said.

‘Children haven’t been forced, they came voluntarily’

Meanwhile, KPCC President D K Shivakumar, who separately addressed a news conference, denied the ruling BJP’s charge that the Congress party has forced the children to participate in the Bharat Jodo Yatra and claimed that the children have enthusiastically and voluntarily joined the Yatra.

“Can we prevent the children, who came running on their own, from participating and sharing a few precious moments with our leader? It is not just children but young girls, students, women, farmers and workers participated in the Yatra and Rahul Gandhi interacted with all of them. These visuals have been published in the media as well as shared in social media,” he said.

Shivakumar said the Yatra has concluded in Ballari. In view of the AICC presidential polls on Monday, Congress MP D K Suresh, V S Ugrappa, MLA Nagendra and some leaders have requested that they must be allowed to exercise their votes from Ballari itself by considering them as Yatris, while the other eligible voters will go to Bengaluru to cast their votes.

“As senior party leader Mallikarjuna Kharge, who hails from the State, it is our duty to vote in the presidential polls,’’ he said making it clear that the Gandhi family is not interfering in the elections in any manner and the party has been asked to conduct the polls impartially.

Congress will win 150 seats

The KPCC chief attacked the ruling party for splurging money on newspaper advertisements and conducting the Jana Sankalpa Yatra after getting nervous with the public response to the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

"Let them (BJP) do anything or make tall claims. But we are convinced that the Congress party will win 150 seats judging from the public response to the Bharat Jodo Yatra,’’ he said.

Answering questions on the comments by BJP State in-charge Arun Singh and other party leaders that “Rahul Gandhi should first carry out D K Shivakumar-Siddaramaiah Jodo,’’ he said the BJP leaders are not satisfied if they do not speak the names of both of us. “Let them say anything. We are united,’’ he asserted.

On the ridicule by former chief minister B S Yediyurappa, BJP leaders Basavaraj Patil Yatnal or B Sriramulu that “Rahul Gandhi is a baccha,” Shivakumar said the people have witnessed those wearing shorts and then pants or dhotis and working.

The KPCC chief said Rahul Gandhi had respectfully asked why Yediyurappa was ousted from the chief minister’s post and said: “Compared to Yediyurappa’s age, we are all bacchas. Yediyurappa must understand this.’’

To a question on the Congress party’s plans to undertake a Bus Yatra to cover the entire State, Shivakumar said he and Siddaramaiah as well as AICC leaders have taken a decision to conduct a Bus Yatra to cover all the 224 assembly constituencies in the State.

Asked why AICC President Sonia Gandhi did not address any meeting when she joined the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the KPCC chief shot back: “Has Prime Minister Narendra Modi ever addressed a news conference? You have seen Rahul Gandhi speaking wherever he goes and meeting people.’’

To a question on whether the Yatra has helped in strengthening the party, Shivakumar said the Congress party’s unity has been further strengthened. "My health has improved and I have learnt besides gaining experience. We have already conducted Mekedatu and Freedom Yatras. All party leaders are united,’’ he said.

Asked about his statement of declaring party candidates six months in advance, he said the party has almost finalised the selection process. “I will speak on this issue after the Yatra, when we will know the strengths and abilities of our leaders,’’ he added.