Jammu and Kashmir, October 9: Congress Presidential candidate and MP Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday claimed that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is "scared" of Rahul Gandhi's "rising popularity" due to Bharat Jodo Yatra.

"Many people are associating themselves with Rahul Gandhi. BJP is scared after seeing Bharat Jodo Yatra. As Rahul Gandhi's popularity is increasing, these people's (popularity) is reducing," Kharge said. Video: Sonia Gandhi Joins Congress’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Karnataka’s Mandya District.

Earlier today, Kharge had said that he is fighting the Congress Presidential polls because the condition in the country is very "bad" and he wants to "fight" them. Bharat Jodo Yatra: Rahul Gandhi Participates in Snake Boat Race Exhibition in Kerala’s Punnamada Lake (Watch Video).

"I want to fight because the condition in the country is bad. Modi and Shah are doing politics where there is no place for Democracy. Agencies like CBI and ED are weakening. To fight them I need to have power. That is why, on the recommendation of delegations, I am fighting the polls," Kharge said.

Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge are up against each other in the race for the post of Congress President. Digvijaya Singh pulled out from the race earlier and extended his support to Kharge, who he said is a senior and respected leader of the party, and against whom he "cannot think of contesting".

Singh was the second Congress leader to pull out of the race after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced he would not contest the elections following the political turmoil in his state. With the Gandhis not running for the top post, the grand old party is all set to get a non-Gandhi president after over 25 years.

The last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 8. Voting will take place on October 17 and the election results will be declared on October 19. The MP from Wayanad is currently leading Bharat Jodo Yatra- the 3,500-km march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, covering as many as 12 states. The Yatra started from Kanyakumari and will end in Kashmir the next year by covering 25 km every day.

According to Congress, the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' is being held to combat the divisive politics of the BJP-led Centre and to awaken the people of the country to the dangers of economic inequalities, social polarisation and political centralisation.

Notably, all the party MPs, leaders and workers along with Rahul Gandhi are staying in containers. Sleeping beds, toilets and ACs are also installed in some of the containers.

The arrangements have been made keeping in view the intense heat and humidity with the change of places. The Congress suffered a debacle in the assembly polls held earlier this year and the Yatra is seen as an attempt to rally the party rank and file for the upcoming electoral battles.

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