Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, and Mayawati, the head of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), expressed their gratitude to Rahul Gandhi, a Congress leader, for inviting them to join the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which will enter Uttar Pradesh on January 3.

Yadav, in a letter written in Hindi, extended his best wishes for the success of the Bharat Jodo campaign. He emphasized that India is not just a geographical expanse, but is united by love, non-violence, compassion, cooperation, and harmony. He expressed hope that the yatra will achieve its goal of preserving the inclusive culture of the country.

SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary had previously stated that it was “unlikely” for the SP chief to attend the Yatra due to “party programmes lined up.”

Invitations to join the yatra were also extended to Mayawati and RLD’s Jayant Chaudhary.

Mayawati, in a tweet in Hindi, extended her best wishes for the Bharat Jodo Yatra and thanked Rahul Gandhi for inviting her to take part in the yatra. However, it is unclear whether she will participate in the yatra.

The Uttar Pradesh leg of the Yatra will enter Ghaziabad’s Loni area on January 3 and travel to Haryana via Shamli’s Kairana. The next day, the yatra will reach Mavi Kalan in Baghpat and pass through Baghpat city and Sisana, Sarurpur, and Barot in the same district. On January 5, the yatra will reach Alam in Shamli district and pass through Kandhla, Uncha village, and Kairana.

(With inputs from PTI)