On the last day of Bharat Jodo Yatra in poll-bound Karnataka, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that his family has a long connection with the state, as he reminded that his grandmother and mother had won crucial elections from here.

Pointing out that today was the last day of the yatra in the state, covering more than 500 km, he thanked the people for their support, love and strength.

“My family has a long connection with Karnataka. I can never forget that you (people) gave victory to (former PM) Indira Gandhi from Chikkamagaluru (in 1978). I can also not forget you gave victory to Sonia Gandhi in Ballari (in 1999),” Rahul Gandhi said while concluding his speech at the end of the 45th day of the yatra here.

He then moved to the centre of the stage and held the hands of both state Congress President D K Shivakumar and Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah and raised in the air, aimed at sending out a message of unity to the party cadres.

Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, who are nursing chief ministerial ambitions ahead of assembly polls next year, are indulging in a game of political one-upmanship, with an intention to assert their position in the party’s state unit.

The Bharat Jodo Yata will be entering neighbouring Telangana on Sunday morning after covering a short distance within the state’s borders.

The nationwide foot march entered the state on September 30 at Gundlupet in Chamarajanagara district and after covering several districts, it was in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh for three days from October 18. The yatra then re-entered Karnataka at Raichur on October 21.