Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president S. Sailajanath and other party leaders on Wednesday offered prayers at the Mary Matha shrine in Gunadala, seeking the deity’s blessings for success of the ‘Bharat Jodo’ yatra initiated by All India Congress Committee (AICC) leader Rahul Gandhi.
The leaders broke a coconut, lit candles and prayed for the success of the “unity march” by the party leader.
The party leaders have been visiting places of worship seeking blessings for Mr. Gandhi’s yatra.
Last week, they had performed ‘kalasabhishekam’ at the Sri Varasidhi Vinayaka Swamy temple at Kanipakam in Chittoor district. They also plan to visit a mosque here soon.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Sailajanath said the “communal ideology the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre” had created deep fissures among sections of the society. He said Mr. Gandhi’s yatra was to promote communal harmony and unify the country.
The State Congress chief said it was necessary to show the BJP the door in the forthcoming elections and bring the Congress with Rahul Gandhi at its helm to the power.
“We need to strengthen his hands by participating in large numbers in the yatra,” he said.
He accused the BJP of disintegrating the country, and said people should shower their blessings on Mr. Rahul Gandhi, who “alone can save them from the communal designs of the ruling party at the Centre.”
