The rallies point to a major tribal outreach by both the parties in Madhya Pradesh.
Hours before the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday, the ruling BJP launched a rally of its own in the state. The BJP's Janjatiya Gaurav Yatra began in Khandwa at the birthplace of tribal icon Tantya Bheel.
The Congress yatra will reach the historic place today while Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and four state ministers attended the BJP's rally there yesterday.
The BJP denies that its rally was planned as a counter to Rahul Gandhi's yatra. "Unlike Congress, we don't embark on yatra only ahead of elections. Our rally was planned well in advance," said Ram Dangore, a BJP MLA.
The BJP rally will end on December 4 at Patalpani in Indore where Tantya Bheel was killed while fighting against the British. December 4 marks the tribal hero's death anniversary. The same day, the Congress rally will enter Rajasthan, after covering six districts of Madhya Pradesh.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra joined her brother Rahul Gandhi's yatra for the first time today since it began in September.
The rallies point to a major tribal outreach by both the parties ahead of next year's assembly election and amid the rising tribal outfit Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS), which is eyeing a major chunk of tribal youth votes.
Tribals constitute over 21% of votes in 230 assembly constituencies in the state. As many as 84 seats are tribal-dominated and 47 of those are reserved for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates.
The BJP had won 60 of these 84 seats in 2013 but the numbers fell to just 34 in 2018. The Congress increased its tally from 24 to 57 seats during these two elections.