Party presidential poll is just a SIDESHOW, ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ main show: Congress

Congress national spokesperson Jairam Ramesh has described the Congress president's election as a "sideshow" and the Bharat Jodo Yatra as the main show. "It's a transformation of the Congress party and it shows the real Rahul Gandhi coming out. I would not say it is the new Rahul Gandhi but the real Rahul Gandhi that is being seen," Ramesh said.

Chittanahalli: Congress on Friday claimed that "real" Rahul Gandhi is emerging out of the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra, which completed a month today. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, in an interview, described the foot march as the longest-ever undertaken by anyone and said it will help the Congress strengthen itself psychologically.

He also described the Congress president's election as a "sideshow" and the yatra as the main show. "It's a transformation of the Congress party and it shows the real Rahul Gandhi coming out. I would not say it is the new Rahul Gandhi but the real Rahul Gandhi that is being seen," Ramesh said.

He said Gandhi's interactions with civil society, party workers and his super fitness are what comprises the "real Mr Rahul Gandhi". "The biggest achievement is psychological. It's all in the mind. I think what the yatra has done is to show the Congress party that we can do it.

"We are on the roads, on the streets, we are fighting the BJP. We are taking the battle to their camp. We are raising issues. We are not reacting. Now the BJP is reacting to us and that I think is the greatest contribution of the yatra. It's psychological rather than electoral," the Congress leader said.

Asked about the Congress president's election, he said the "houseful evening show is the Bharat Jodo yatra and the organisational election is a sideshow as far as I am concerned".

"The narrative setting show is not the Congress president's election but the Bharat Jodo Yatra," he added. On a non-Gandhi all set to lead the party, he said Sonia and Rahul Gandhi have a special place in the Congress because of their contributions and legacy.

Ramesh said when Jawaharlal Nehru became the Congress president for the first time in 1928, Mahatma Gandhi wrote to him saying you are wearing a crown of thorns.

"It's a crown of thorns. I think it's certainly a historic moment as we are the only political party to hold elections for the post of president in a fair, transparent and impartial manner. But as I said it is a sideshow. The main show is the Bharat Jodo Yatra," Ramesh said.