Rahul Gandhi and former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah run during 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'
Congress party's ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra resulted in a viral video today in which Rahul Gandhi, the former party president, can be seen holding former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's hand and making him run with him, amid loud cheers from the participants.
In the video, the former Chief Minister can be initially seen walking right next to Mr Gandhi during the march, with other state Congress leaders and security personnel surrounding them. Then, suddenly, taking everyone by surprise, Mr Gandhi catches hold of Mr Siddaramaiah's left hand and starts running. The senior Congress leader can also be seen keeping pace with Mr Gandhi until he stops.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra entered its Karnataka leg on September 30 and will continue through the state until October 21.
As the march entered Karnataka, Mr Gandhi ensured that both the heavyweights in Karnataka Congress who are at loggerheads - Mr Siddaramaiah and former Cabinet minister DK Shivakumar - were given equal importance. In an obvious attempt to cement ties between the two rival leaders and send out a strong message of unity among party workers, Mr Gandhi picked the hands of both Mr Siddaramaiah and Mr Shivakumar and asked them to beat a drum together.
Earlier today, Congress president Sonia Gandhi joined her son Mr Gandhi at the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Karnataka, participating in a public event after a long gap compelled by health worries.
Joining the march in Mandya, Mrs Gandhi walked a short distance, surrounded by a large crowd of slogan-shouting party workers, before getting into a car. In a photo tweeted by the Congress party, Mr Gandhi can be seen tying his mother's shoelaces during the march.