India has a long tradition of such yatras and they delivered what they were undertaken for. Gandhiji’s Salt March in 1930; his padayatra against untouchability in 1933–34; Vinoba Bhave’s padayatra for Bhoodan in 1951; Chandrashekhar’s padayatra in 1983 to connect with the masses. Y S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s three-month-long padayatra in undivided Andhra Pradesh. YS Jaganmohan Reddy's 'Praja Sankalpa Yatra’ and Digvijay Singh’s Narmada Yatra are to name a few.

As always, Rahul Gandhi is talking about the mishandling of unemployment, inflation besides many other policy issues of the Modi government but the complaint remains that the national media is ignoring him. Some say that even the Dandi march of Gandhiji was ignored by the then-mainstream media. Lots of water has flown down the Ganges since the Dandi march or for that matter, various other Yatras were undertaken. Murali Manohar Joshi also took a Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and Lal Krisha Advani from Somnath to Ayodhya but they were Rathyatri and not Padyatri.

But apparently, planners of the BJY were convinced that it was wise to strengthen the Congress down Vindhyas first before working for revival in areas once considered to be its pocket boroughs which were taken away by the BJP and Samajwadi movements by Mandal and Mandir movements. Rahul Gandhi has been relentlessly trying to revive the Congress in Hindi heartland. Besides the BJY, Congress has another plan to organize a Yatra from West to East before 2024 LS elections are announced.

Enthusiastic Congressmen say that BJY will stir complacent and hopeless Congress workers across the country. Not only the Gandhies but other senior leaders appear to be upbeat about the response at least in the southern part of the country. But the real challenge is north, west and central India. The name of Priyanka Gandhi doing rounds to be made candidate from Bellay indicates that the party is not confident about its prospects in North India.

An arduous task for the Congress as whichever candidate wins the presidential election – Mallikarjuna Kharge or Shashi Tharoor, none will have any impact beyond their own states. BJP is on target with the inauguration of the Mahakal Corridor and PFI ban in the midst of ongoing BJY to woo its Hindutva voters of which the Congress is susceptible. However, some surveys suggest that there is an increase in the popularity of Rahul Gandhi by over 5 percent from where the BJY passes through. However, it is too early to make any final assessment as the yatra still has a long distance to cover. But every such Yatra benefited the person or organization undertaking it. But don’t forget that of late Congress has developed the habit of hitting self-goal.