Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Yatra: Diminishing returns, results show little sway on voting patterns

Telangana: Yatra covers 29 seats, Cong makes gains, wins 12

The impact of the Yatra was most seen in Telangana, albeit only in rural areas. Between October 23 and November 7, 2022, Rahul Gandhi crossed the state, with a large part of his route falling in the erstwhile Mahbubnagar district and covering essentially 14 Assembly constituencies. The Congress managed to wrest 12 of these from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), which managed to hold on to only Gadwal and Alampur.

The region was considered a BRS stronghold, which the party had swept in the 2018 Assembly elections, winning all 14 seats.

The Yatra later proceeded to the urban areas of Hyderabad, but here it had no impact as the BRS managed to win 8 of the 15 seats on offer while the AIMIM retained its 7 traditional seats.

In fact, while the crowds all through the Telangana leg of the Yatra had come as a surprise given the Congress’s decline in the state, it had ended on a sombre note – a day after the Munugode bypoll result, in which the candidate of the Congress, which had won the seat in 2018, was unable to even save her deposit.

After the results came out Sunday, Congress leaders though were unanimous in crediting the Bharat Jodo Yatra for the party’s win.

Rajasthan: Yatra covers 12 seats, Cong loses ground, wins 9

Between December 4 and 21, 2022, the Yatra was in Rajasthan. It traversed 12 Assembly segments, falling in the districts of Jhalawar, Dausa, Sawai Madhopur and Alwar districts. In these areas, the Congress wrested three seats – Khanpur, Keshoraipatan and Mundawar – from the BJP while it held on to 6. The party also lost 2 seats – Sawai Madhopur and Khandar – to the BJP, while the BJP retained the Vasundhara Raje stronghold of Jhalrapatan.

This is the area where the Gujjar anger with the Congress over the sidelining of Sachin Pilot was the most evident, and clearly prevailed over any goodwill the Bharat Jodo Yatra might have generated. The Congress had managed to win 6 seats here in 2018 while an Independent won and joined the Congress, taking its tally to 7.

The Yatra itself was marked by constant one-upmanship between the camps of Ashok Gehlot.

Madhya Pradesh: Yatra covers 21 seats, Cong wins 4

The impact of the Yatra was even less in Madhya Pradesh, where it traversed 21 Assembly segments falling in the districts of Burhanpur, Indore, Agar Malwa and Ujjain between November 20 and December 4 last year. The Congress did not make any gains here, retaining its 3 seats – Bhikangaon, Susner, Tarana – and wresting just Mahidpur from the BJP. In 2018, the Congress had won seven of the 21 seats.

The BJP emerged victorious in all segments of the Indore district despite the Yatra traversing through them.

In the MP leg of the Yatra, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had joined the march.