A modified bus will be Advani's 'rath'

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For his anti-corruption yatra beginning on October 11, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran L.K. Advani will travel in a modified luxury bus as his ‘rath’ equipped with a lift and communication facilities for his 12,000 km journey across 18 states.

The bus, being modified and readied in Pune, will reach the venue of Advani's 'Jan Chetna Yatra' (public awareness journey) in Bihar before October 11, BJP secretary Shyam Jaju told the media.

"The bus will be equipped with lift (sky lift), television, computer and public address system. It will have place for him to rest and a chamber for party functionaries to sit and interact with him," Jaju told the media.

The BJP has chosen the birth anniversary of Jayprakash Narayan on October 11 and his birthplace Sitab Diara in Bihar as the venue to launch the yatra.

Jaju said the bus may not reach Sitab Diara as the village still had flood waters. He said Advani, 84, and other senior party leaders were likely to visit Sitab Diara on October 11 in a helicopter to pay their respects to Jayprakash Narayan and then come to Chapra to take forward the yatra.

Jayprakash Narayan's mobilisation of students in 1974 and call for 'Total Revolution' led to event that culminated in prime minister Indira Gandhi imposing Emergency rule in 1975. Gandhi lost power in the 1977 elections.

Jaju said the Jan Chetna Yatra will focus on ‘good governance and clean politics’ and pass through 18 states and some union territories. It will culminate in Delhi Nov 20 after covering almost 12,000 km - about 300 km each day.

He said the yatra will pass through poll-bound states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Goa and touch Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Assam.

Jaju said a press conference will be held daily at 9 a.m. and the yatra will continue between at 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Apart from roadside meetings, Advani would address four rallies every day.

The yatra will proceed in a convoy of 18 vehicles including an ambulance and security entourage.

BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar is chief convener and Ravi Shankar Prasad, Murlidhar Rao and Jaju are co-convenors for the yatra.

The Jan Chetna Yatra will be the sixth such cross-state journey for the BJP veteran. The earlier yatras include Ramrath Yatra, Jansandesh Yatra, Swarna Jayanti Yatra, Bharat Uday Yatra and Bharat Suraksha Yatra.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will be present during the start of Jan Chetna Yatra along with senior BJP leaders.

BJP leaders said the 2G spectrum scam, Commonwealth Games scandal, cash-for-votes scam and ministerial differences would be raised during the yatra.