Rahul Gandhi nearly quit Bharat Jodo Yatra due to knee pain: Congress leader

Trivandrum:

Praising Rahul Gandhi’s determination, Congress secretary-general KC Venugopal said on Saturday that in the first few days of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the situation was delicate, with the former Congress president facing serious knee problems, forcing him to consider whether it should be done by someone else.

Mr Venugopal, a close friend of Mr Gandhi, said the plight even forced Priyanka Gandhi to tell him her brother might abandon the national foot march because of excruciating pain and hand the baton of the pilgrimage to senior Congressional leaders people.

“When yatra entered Kerala on the third day starting in Kanyakumari, his knee pain worsened. One night, he called me to tell (me) the severity of his knee pain and suggested any replacement for him. Run another leader,” the senior Congress leader said at an event organized by the Kerala Congress headquarters in the evening to commemorate Bharat Jodo yatris from Kerala.

Recounting the series of events he faced as he entered Kerala on 7 September 2022 from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, Mr Venugopal said yatra without Rahul Gandhi was a challenge to Congress workers and leaders It is “unimaginable”.

“Subsequently, Priyanka Gandhi called to inform Rahul of the severity of his knee pain. She even wanted to suggest that the campaign be handed over to other senior leaders,” said the Congress party general secretary. said, adding that during those moments when he stood with his hands folded, he felt anxious and prayed for divine intervention.

Eventually, a physiotherapist recommended by Rahul Gandhi joined his medical team and treated him. “By God’s grace, he was healed from his pain,” Mr Venugopal told the rally, which was also attended by senior party leaders including AK Antony.

The pilgrims led by Rahul Gandhi entered Kerala on September 10 and traveled across the state for 19 days.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra ended on January 30 in a show of strength by the opposition, with the leaders of several political parties joining Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to end his ambitious 145-day journey, some 4,000 kilometers from Kanyakumari to Kashmir .