Karnal, Oct. 7 -- Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) newly appointed president Rao Narender Singh on Monday reacted to party leader Brijendra Singh's "sadbhaav yatra," saying he was not consulted before it was planned, but called it an effort to strengthen the party. Launched on Sunday from Jind's Narwana assembly, the yatra will cover 90 assembly segments over six months, spanning 2,600-2,800km. Brijendra Singh, former Hisar MP and vice-chairman of the All India Congress's foreign affairs committee, will be accompanied by his father, former Union minister Birender Singh and party workers at the rally. Rao, who formally assumed charge at the party's state unit headquarters in Chandigarh on Monday, said, "His yatra is not against Congress but an attempt to strengthen the party. There is no doubt it was not in my knowledge, nor was the PCC consulted, but those joining the yatra are only making the party stronger." He added that he was unsure if he would join the yatra due to prior commitments. "I will inform if I decide to do so." His predecessor, Udai Bhan, had earlier opposed the yatra, stating it was not approved by the All India Congress Committee and was not the party's official programme. Rao also said the party's newly formed district-evel organisation, its first in over a decade, would strengthen the Congress in the upcoming elections. "We have faced losses in the absence of an organisation. Now, after consultations with every leader, the party is getting stronger," he said, adding that leaders had assured full support to Rahul Gandhi in his efforts to safeguard the Constitution. htc...