Mangaluru: The Dakshina Kannada District Youth Congress Committee organised a torchlight procession on Monday evening to express solidarity with Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi, who has been campaigning nationwide against alleged vote rigging.

Procession route and participation

The march began near Nava Bharat Circle and concluded in front of the Mangaluru Municipal Corporation. Hundreds of Congress workers, youth activists and senior leaders participated, raising slogans in support of electoral reforms and free and fair elections.

Prominent participants included:

  • Legislative Council member Ivan D’Souza

  • Former minister B. Ramanath Rai

  • Former MLA J.R. Lobo

  • Former Mayor Shashidhar Hegde

  • Senior Congress leaders Padmaraj R. Poojary, Ramesh Shetty Boliar, R.K. Prithviraj, Ashok Kumar D.K, T.K. Sudhir, K.K. Shahul Hamid, S. Appy, Naveen D’Souza, Subhodaya Alva, Abbas Ali, Joachim D’Souza

  • Youth Congress leaders including D.K. Youth Congress President Ibrahim Nawaz, Asif Bajal, and Welvin Jaisan

    • Message of the march

    The leaders emphasised that the torchlight procession symbolised a commitment to safeguarding democracy and standing up against electoral malpractice. They said Rahul Gandhi’s ongoing awareness campaign was not only about political parties but about ensuring that every citizen’s vote counts.

    Conclusion

    The procession concluded peacefully, with participants vowing to continue similar movements across the district to highlight issues of electoral integrity and democratic accountability.