Behind Congress’s Telangana win, another face Bhatti Vikramarka and his ‘People’s March’

His padyatra or foot march called “People’s March” which Vikramarka undertook across Telangana, covering over 1,400 km through 36 Assembly constituencies from March to June is widely credited, among other factors, with ensuring the Congress’s resurgence leading to its return to power in the state.

The CLP leader’s foot march was an extension of Rahul Gandhi’s cross-country Bharat Jodo Yatra which had passed through Telangana too.

Vikramarka began his march on March 16 from Pipri village in Adilabad district — first, as part of the Haath Se Haath Bharat Jodo Abhiyan — and then named it “People’s March”.

In light of his padyatra, Vikramarka gave a number of suggestions to the Congress for its manifesto for the Assembly polls. His inputs were reflected in the framing of the party’s manifesto as well as its Declarations for farmers, youths and minorities.

Besides Rahul and state party chief A Revanth Reddy, Vikramarka addressed scores of rallies and street corner meetings during his campaign. He reached out to Dalits, tribals, minorities, farmers, unemployed youth, Singareni coal mine workers, students, artisans, weavers and other people from various backward sections.

A member of the Pradesh Congress Committee executive committee from 1990 to 1992, Vikramarka became an MLC in undivided Andhra Pradesh in 2007. Two years later, he won his first Assembly poll from Madhira and worked as the then party government’s chief whip till 2011. He later served as the Assembly Deputy Speaker till 2014.

Several state Congress leaders say that Bhatti’s yatra proved to be successful in highlighting the BRS government’s “failures” on various fronts and in taking the poll promises of Congress to the public, which include subsidised LPG cylinder for Rs 500 each, Rs 5 lakh per household for construction of houses, and Rs 2 lakh crop loan waiver for farmers.