CM Bhajan Lal Calls for Run for Unity on Patel Jayanti
Synopsis
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma shared PM Narendra Modi's Mann Ki Baat appeal on Oct 25, calling citizens to participate in Run for Unity on Oct 31 — Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary and National Unity Day.
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma amplified PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat call for the Run for Unity on 25 October 2026 .
The run is scheduled for 31 October , the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel , observed nationally as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas .
The Government of India declared 31 October as National Unity Day in 2014 , simultaneously launching the Run for Unity nationwide.
Patel integrated more than 500 princely states into the Indian Union after 1947 , making him the symbol of national integration.
CM Sharma urged Rajasthan citizens to join the run 'with full enthusiasm' , extending the PM's broadcast appeal through social media.
Six days before India pauses to honour the man who stitched a fractured subcontinent into one nation, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has amplified the national call to lace up and run — sharing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal from Mann Ki Baat for citizens to participate in the Run for Unity on 31 October 2026.
Patel's birth anniversary and the national unity pledge
Quoting PM Modi directly, CM Sharma's post reads: 'Run for Unity hmaari ekta ko mazboot karne aur rashtra ke prati apni pratibaddhataa ko doharaane ka ek avsar hai' — 'Run for Unity is an opportunity to strengthen our unity and reaffirm our commitment to the nation.' The post carries the hashtags #MannKiBaat and #RunForUnity, tying the state government's outreach to the Prime Minister's monthly radio address.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, is credited with integrating more than 500 princely states into the Indian Union in the years after 1947 — a feat that shaped the geographic and political reality of modern India. His birth anniversary has carried the weight of that legacy every year since.
How Rashtriya Ekta Diwas became a mass-participation event
In 2014, the Government of India formally declared 31 October as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas — National Unity Day — and paired it with the Run for Unity, a nationwide mass run designed to make the observance kinetic rather than ceremonial. What began as a central government initiative has since been coordinated across states, with BJP-governed administrations consistently driving participation on the ground.
Rajasthan, one of India's largest states by area, has been a consistent participant in the annual run. CM Sharma's call — urging citizens to join 'poore utsaah ke saath' ('with full enthusiasm') — signals that state machinery will once again mobilise for the event.
Mann Ki Baat as the amplification engine
The PM's words on Run for Unity were broadcast through Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister's monthly radio programme that has functioned since 2014 as a direct channel between the executive and ordinary citizens. By sharing that specific appeal on social media, CM Sharma extends the programme's reach into Rajasthan's digital audience — a deliberate layering of broadcast and social media outreach ahead of the 31 October date.
With turnout figures from state-level runs set to emerge in less than a week, the 2026 edition of Run for Unity will test whether a now decade-old initiative continues to draw the public energy its founders envisioned — or whether the ritual needs fresh momentum to stay meaningful.
Point of View
And state chief ministers amplify it digitally to lock in local participation. Rashtriya Ekta Diwas serves a dual purpose — it honours Patel's integrationist legacy while providing the party a politically uncontroversial, mass-participation ritual that transcends regional boundaries. After more than a decade, the challenge for organisers is ensuring the run retains civic energy rather than becoming a routine checkbox. Rajasthan's mobilisation ahead of 31 October will be a small but telling indicator of whether the format still resonates.
NationPress
25 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Run for Unity and when is it held?
Run for Unity is a nationwide mass run held every year on 31 October to mark Rashtriya Ekta Diwas , the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. It was launched by the Government of India in 2014 to promote national integration.
Why is 31 October celebrated as National Unity Day in India?
31 October is the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel , India's first Deputy Prime Minister, who integrated over 500 princely states into the Indian Union after 1947. The Government of India declared it Rashtriya Ekta Diwas in 2014 to honour his contribution to national unity.
What did CM Bhajan Lal Sharma post about Run for Unity?
Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma shared PM Narendra Modi's appeal from Mann Ki Baat on 25 October 2026 , urging citizens across the state to participate in the Run for Unity on 31 October with full enthusiasm.
What is Mann Ki Baat and how is it connected to Run for Unity?
Mann Ki Baat is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's monthly radio address to citizens, running since 2014 . PM Modi used the programme to call on Indians to join the Run for Unity , an appeal that CM Bhajan Lal Sharma then amplified on social media.
What is Sardar Patel's significance for Indian national integration?
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel , India's first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, is credited with integrating more than 500 princely states into the Indian Union in the years following independence in 1947 , laying the territorial foundation of modern India.
