Interacts with shopkeepers in Leh City markets
Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Aug 22: Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha member Rahul Gandhi today reached Lamayuru, known for its ancient monastery and incredible landscape, riding a motorcycle from Leh town in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
Today was sixth day of Rahul’s visit to Ladakh.
Last night, he visited Leh markets and interacted with locals and shopkeepers.
Rahul will reach Kargil on August 24 and have interaction with youth the same day. He will address a rally at Kargil on August 25 in support of Congress candidates for Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil elections, scheduled for September 10.
Gandhi covered a distance of about 130 km to reach Lamayuru where he will stay overnight before moving to Zanskar, a tehsil of Kargil district, on Wednesday.
“Bharat Jodo is deeply rooted in every Indian’s heart and mind. The resonating chant of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ echoing through the streets of Leh serves as a strong example of this unity. No power can suppress this voice, brimming with affection and camaraderie,” Gandhi wrote on his social media account.
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The Wayanad MP also shared pictures and a video where he was seen holding a tricolour while meeting a group of veterans on the first floor of a building and waving to cheering crowd gathering on the streets of Leh main market.
Congress leaders, who took Rahul Gandhi through the main market of Leh last night, said Gandhi walked to some fruit vendors on the roadside to “know about their problems amid inflation”.
“The people who gathered around chanted slogans in praise of Gandhi and also took selfies with him,” he said, adding Gandhi also interacted with a family living in the town.
Earlier, Gandhi rode a motorcycle from Leh to Pangong Lake and stayed overnight to celebrate the birth anniversary of his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi the next day.
On his return from Nubra valley on the motorcycle, Gandhi took pictures at Khardungla, the world’s highest motorable road at a height of 18,380 feet.
On his way to Lamayuru along the Leh-Kargil national highway, Gandhi stopped at the famous magnetic hill and had lunch at famous Alchi Kitchen.
meanwhile, the Congress said Rahul Gandhi’s Ladakh Yatra is a continuation of the Bharat Jodo Yatra as his trip to the Union Territory was in fulfilment of a commitment made to a delegation from there during his cross-country march.
In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “ On 24th January earlier this year, Rahul Gandhi had met with a delegation from Ladakh during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jhajjar Kotli, Jammu.”
“His visit to Ladakh this week is in fulfilment of a commitment made to that delegation, which had wanted him to come and hear the people’s perceptions of the border challenges with China, and also their views on empowerment of local elected bodies,” he said.