A special IndiGo flight, through which Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, were going to travel to Manipur’s Imphal for the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, was delayed due to fog and poor visibility conditions at Delhi Airport on Sunday morning.

The Congress leaders have not yet boarded the flight and are waiting at the airport lounge.

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Earlier on Sunday, Rahul was spotted leaving his residence in Delhi for the airport.

The ‘Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra’ is scheduled to start at noon with a floral tribute at the Khongjom War Memorial, followed by its launch at Myay Maidan, Khongjom in Manipur’s Thoubai.

The evening break was scheduled at 5:30 pm at Koirengei Bazar in Imphal. The night halt will be at Koujengleima Sports Association Football Ground in Imphal’s Sekmai.

Rahul Gandhi will cover over 6,700 kilometres over 67 days, going through 110 districts throughout the Yatra.

Ahead of their departure from Delhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said on Sunday that the party aims to reach every house till people get the right to justice.

“We will reach every house, till we get the right to justice! Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra will begin from Thoubal, Manipur today. People’s beloved Shri @RahulGandhiji will lead this national mass movement of the Congress Party, covering a distance of 6700 KM from 15 states,” Kharge said in a post on ‘X’.

The Congress President said that the party intends to interact with every section of society along the way.

“The Yatra will interact with every section of the society like farmers, labourers, Dalits, tribals, backward classes, small traders, shopkeepers, women, ex-servicemen, sportspersons, teachers, Asha workers, Anganwadi groups, NGOs, SHGs etc,” Kharge added.

The Congress chief said that in the “noise of distractions” real issues like unemployment, inflation, national security, and women’s rights have been lost and the Congress intends to bring those forward and provide an alternative system to the country by listening to people.

“The real issues have been lost in the noise of distractions. But the Congress party is firm on the real issues of the country – unemployment, inflation, national security, women’s rights, SC/ST exploitation, caste census, economic inequality etc. We aim to provide an alternative system to the country by listening to the public. This is why the fight for justice is necessary,” Kharge said.

Reacting to the launch of the Bharat Jodo Yatra Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that he hopes that the country will be united and a big change will come about.

“It is a very important day for the Congress party and the country. I will be going with the CM for the Bharat Jodo Nyay inaugural program. I hope the country will be united and there will be a big change…,” the Deputy Chief Minister said speaking to ANI in Bengaluru.

On being asked about the electoral significance of the Yatra, Shivakumar said, “This Yatra is not only for Lok Sabha, this is for unemployment, price rise, and whatever other issues need to be protected…”

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was also seen leaving for Manipur from the Delhi airport to attend the inaugural ceremony of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said that the purpose of the Yatra is to seek social, economic and political justice for all.

“The purpose of this yatra is to seek justice for everybody. Social, economic and political justice in this country, which is not happening nowadays. Rahul Gandhi is again starting the yatra from Manipur to Mumbai,” Venugopal said.

Congress MP Rajiv Shukla said that in this Yatra, the word ‘Nyay’ has been added to seek justice for the people who have been facing injustice constantly in this country.

It will be a historic yatra. The last Yatra was successful. In this yatra, the word ‘nyaya’ has been added. This is to give justice to people facing injustice constantly…Lakhs and crores of people will be joining the yatra,” Shukla said while speaking to ANI.

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that while the Yatra will pass through some parts of the county, the message of getting justice for the practical challenges in life will reach every part of the country.

“It’s a 6000 km yatra and holds importance…The Yatra will be in one part of the country but I hope that the message reaches all homes, villages, and districts of the country that it is important to get justice in the practical challenges of life. We want to see that no one faces injustice and oppression…The Yatra is for the poor and the common man,” Ashok Gehlot said while speaking to ANI.

Earlier on Saturday, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh clarified that the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is an ideological battle the grand old party has mounted against the politics of polarisation and social, economic and political injustice.

The Yatra comes a year after Rahul Gandhi conducted the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, which gave an apparent boost to the Congress party. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra comes months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.