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'Yatra' to cover 12 Assembly constituencies

By Our Special Correspondent

Ahmedabad Aug. 20. The Gujarat BJP unit president, Rajendrasinh Rana, while announcing the revival of the `Gaurav rath yatra' today, gave only the first two days' itinerary during which it would touch five north Gujarat districts and cover 12 Assembly constituencies.

The detailed programme was being worked out but it was still not sure when it would be completed, covering all the 182 Assembly constituencies.

As per the original programme, the `yatra' would be taken out two to three days every week when the Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, would be available.

Mr. Modi and Mr. Rana would be present throughout the `yatra' and accompanied by the senior district leaders.

The Union Ministers and other Central party leaders would also take part from time to time.

The `yatra', originally scheduled to be held in July, sparked a major controversy then with objections from various quarters, including the Opposition parties, to its name.

They asked whether the ruling party considered the shameful communal riots as a `gaurav' (pride) for the State.

The name remains unchanged now, but Mr. Rana claimed that the `yatra' would highlight the `proud performances' of the State BJP Government, particularly in the light of the ``misleading and distorted'' campaigns by the Opposition parties against the ruling party and Mr. Modi.

The July `yatra' was to have started from the temple town of Ambaji, bordering Rajasthan. This time it would be launched from Phagwel village in Kathlal taluk of Kaira district.

The `Kshatriyas' consider the village a place of pilgrimage as it was there that a warrior, Bhathiji Maharaj, sacrificed his life some three centuries ago trying to save a herd of cattle from Muslim rulers.

The idea apparently is to woo the `Kshatriyas' who are rallying behind the State Congress president, Shankarsinh Waghela.

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