Kota: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday shared a cup of tea with some fellow Bharat Jodo yatris as they halted for about 35 minutes at a party worker's house here during their march to Kota from Darra Station Ganesh Mandir.
The yatra, which has so far covered over 2,400 kilometers since it started on September 7 from Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari, began at 6 am when the temperature was around 9 degrees Celsius.
Mr Gandhi, who was seen in a half-sleeves T-shirt and a pair of jeans, interacted with folk artistes from Jaisalmer and Barmer.
The Yatra began from Darra station in the Sangod area, the constituency represented by Congress MLA Bharat Singh, who has repeatedly levelled corruption allegation against state mining minister Pramod Jain Bhaya and has sought his removal from the government.
The yatra was greeted by a large number of party workers and villagers on both sides of the National Highway-52.
An ambulance carrying a patient was given a passage by the yatris.
After walking for about 10 km, Rahul Gandhi stopped at the house of party worker and former deputy Pradhan Ashok Meena in Gopalpura on NH-52. He had tea and refreshments at the terrace of Mr Meena's house.
"Rahul Gandhi ji enjoyed 'gud ki chai'. He had especially requested for it. He got homemade 'gud ki chai'. Rahulji and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had the tea and both appreciated the taste." Mr Meena said.
Rahul Gandhi also had refreshments which was brought by his team, Mr Meena said.
The former village pradhan said he informed Gandhi about the water problem farmers in the area face, and requested for a canal to be built. "Rahul ji asked CM Gehlot to solve the issue," he said.
The yatra will travel at least 13 km in its first leg of its fourth three in Rajasthan to reach Mandana in Kota's Laadpura.
The yatris will have a lunch break there before they resume at 3.30 pm to cover 9 more kilometers for a corner meeting at the Sasa Resort at 6:30 pm. They will then proceed for the night stay at Jagpura, Kota, around 8 kilometers away.
As Mr Gandhi started out the march on Wednesday he bowed before the Ganesh temple with folded hands. A group of tribal artistes from Banswara performed dance at the outset.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, his former deputy Sachin Pilot, state Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra, state minister Mahesh Joshi, AICC national secretary and chairman of Rajasthan Seeds Corporation Dhiraj Gurjar and a large number of regional leaders, party workers are accompanying Gandhi on this leg.
They set out on the march after unfurling the national flag at 5:30 am.
Mr Gurjar said more than 1,500 party workers from Bhilawa and Banswara districts, and around 5,000-7,000 people have joined in, holding national flags in their hands.
Mr Gurjar was Congress MLA from Jahajpur in Bhilwara from 2013-2018.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)