Maharashtra’s former minister and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) leader Aaditya Thakeray joined the Bharat Jodo yatra on Friday evening.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh had confirmed on Thursday that the Thackeray scion would be joining the Gandhi scion while NCP chief Sharad Pawar would not be joining the yatra on account of his ill health and has been advised rest for three to four weeks.

The 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' entered Maharashtra on Monday night and reached Deglur in Nanded district from neighbouring Telangana. The yatra will pass through 15 Assembly and six parliamentary constituencies in the state, mostly in the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions, during its 14-day sojourn.

Thackeray, who was also touring the Marathwada region, joined the rally as it passed through Hingoli district and walked with Rahul Gandhi. ‘Walking for our democracy and our constitution…’ tweeted the younger Thakeray.

Maharashtra Legislative Council, spokesperson for the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of the Shiv Sena Sachin Ahir who also joined the rally, had on Thursday said “The idea behind Bharat Jodo Yatra is to bring everyone together and knowingly or unknowingly, people from every section of the society are supporting it. This is to be welcomed if they are coming to Maharashtra” as he spoke of Junior Thakeray joining the yatra.

The other MVA ally Nationalist Congress Party also meted out its support to the Congress’ yatra and had its state chief Jayant Patil, Baramati MP Supriya Sule and party leader Jitendra Awhad joining Rahul Gandhi on Thursday.