Congress critic Kamal Haasan joins Bharat Jodo Yatra after hearing 'inner voice'

Addressing a gathering near the Red Fort in Delhi, the Makkal Needhi Maiam chief said he joined the march to blur the political differences in the interest of the country.

“Despite our separate ideologies and my own political party, I have set aside my differences. When it's about the nation, such differences cease to exist…and I did just that,” Haasan said, adding that he joined the yatra "listening to his inner voice that urged him to ‘Bharat jodo’ (unite India) and stand against ‘Bharat todo’ (split India)."

Heaping praises on Rahul Gandhi, he lauded the Congress leader for leading the march through the length and breadth of the country.

Referring to the theme of the march—Bharat Jodo Yatra, Haasan said the journey has just begun. “The Yatra for change has just started.”

His participation in Congress’s flagship event that aims to propel Rahul Gandhi’s acceptance as a national leader is a surprising move, especially because Haasan has always been a bitter critic of Congress and its ally DMK in his home turf Tamil Nadu.

It is being speculated that this could be his groundwork for forging an alliance with Congress for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Earlier several other celebrities and film personalities such as Swara Bhaskar, Amol Palekar, Riya Sen, Puja Bhatt and Sushant Singh joined the Bharat Jodo Yatra and marched with Rahul Gandhi.