The Bihar Congress on Sunday deferred the launch of its state-wide padayatra on the lines of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' to January 5 next year and said AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge will start the foot march from Banka district.

Earlier, Kharge was supposed to launch the state-wide 1200-km march on December 28.

Bihar Congress spokesperson Asit Tiwary told reporters that now the "padayatra would be launched by all India Congress committee president Mallikarjun Kharge on January 5, not on December 28 as announced earlier".?

He, however, did not mention any reason for the deferment of the foot march.?

All the district units have been informed about the change of the schedule of the long march, he said.

Besides the main 3,570-km Kanyakumari to Kashmir yatra, the Congress is organising several sub-marches in states from where the main foot march will not pass.

“When the state-wide yatra will reach Patna, a rally will be organised which will be addressed by either Sonia Gandhi or Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, depending upon their availability”, he said.?

Rahul Gandhi will be at the public meeting in Gaya where the yatra is scheduled to culminate, the party spokesperson said.?