Can't rally people just by walking from Kanyakumari to Srinagar: Amarinder Singh on Rahul's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra

Amarinder Singh has said that he had told Rahul Gandhi to go on a yatra when he was in the grand old party.

New Delhi, Dec 17: Former Congress leader Captain Amarinder Singh has taken potshot at Rahul Gandhi over his ambitious Bharat Jodo Yatra, saying he cannot unite people by walking from Kanyakumari to Srinagar.

"Kisko jod rahe hain? (Whom is he 'uniting'), and how - I don't understand. You can't rally people just by walking from Kanyakumari to Srinagar. People rally around ideas, policies. You will have to explain what you will do for India, its people. Mere travel by foot won't get people to support you," a website quoted him as saying at an event.

The Captain recalled telling Rahul Gandhi to tour the country to get an idea about the country. Singh stated, "He [Rahul Gandhi] will get to see India. I remember, there was uproar in our party (Congress) when I'd suggested that he should first at least see India. Well, now he's agreed with me and he's seeing India." However, Gandhi had disagreed with him claiming that it would not revive the grand old party.

After being in Congress for decades, Amarinder Singh quit Congress last year after his fallout with the then Punjab state chief Navjot Sidhu. This impacted the party very badly in the assembly polls as it was reduced to 18 seats in the 117-member Assembly.

The high command had backed Sidhu while ignoring Amarinder Singh. In the end, the party paid dearly in the elections in which the AAP emerged victorious by winning 92 seats. It has to be noted that Singh too lost in the polls.

Later, Amarinder Singh joined the BJP.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi-led foot march completed 100 days on the road recently. The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari has traversed eight states - Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and now, Rajasthan.