Gandhi birth anniversary: PM Modi asks BJP MPs to embark on 'padayatra'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has instructed BJP MPs to embark on 'padayatra' in their constituencies and cover a distance of 150 km between October 2 and October 31, the birth anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel respectively, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said Tuesday.

Addressing the BJP parliamentary party meeting, Modi also asked Rajya Sabha members to visit constituencies where the BJP organisation was weak. "These yatras will focus on revival of villages and making them self-reliant, plantation drive and zero budget farming," said Joshi.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman spoke on the budget and called it "visionary". "PM told the meeting that whatever we said in Sankalp Patra (election manifesto) should get reflected in our vision of the future," said Joshi.