 "BJP starts first 'parivartan yatra' in Dantewada, to cover 21 districts")
Ahead of the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched its "parivartan yatra" from Dantewada district in the tribal Bastar region on Tuesday.
The party aims to dethrone the ruling Congress government in the upcoming Assembly polls scheduled for later this year.
According to reports, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was slated to inaugurate the yatra, could not arrive in Dantewada district from Delhi due to adverse weather conditions.
Om Mathur, the BJP state in-charge, flagged off the yatra at the Maa Danteshwari temple.
During the event, several dignitaries, including BJP state president Arun Sao, party's national vice president and former Chief Minister Raman Singh, party's Chhattisgarh co-incharge Nitin Nabin, and senior leaders Brijmohan Agrawal, Kedar Kashyap, Mahesh Gagda, Lata Usendi, Rajya Sabha MP Saroj Pandey, leader of opposition Narayan Chandel, among others, were present.
The first yatra will last for 16 days and will cover a distance of 1,728 km across 21 districts.
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The second yatra, which will last for 12 days, will be flagged off by BJP national president J P Nadda at Jashpur's Maa Khudiya Rani Mandir in a public rally on September 16. This yatra will cover 1,261 km.
Both "parivartan yatras" will culminate at Bilaspur on September 28. Districts of Bijapur, Sukma, and Antagarh constituencies have not been included in the yatras.
With both the yatras, the BJP plans to highlight the Central government's achievements and the failures of the Congress government in the state.
BJP state president Arun Sao said that the participation of these constituencies will be ensured.
Sao said, "With a commitment to change, the BJP will organise "parivartan yatras" in the state.
During the event, Raman Singh said that Congress has disrespected those involved in tendu leaf collection in Bastar and has terminated the Charan Paduka scheme initiated by the previous Congress government.