MYSURU: Opposition leader in the Assembly, Siddaramaiah, who led the Congress from the front during the Bengaluru-Ballari padayatra against illegal mining, is now busy preparing himself for the Mekadatu padayatra along with Karntaka Pradesh Congress Committee president D K Shivakumar.
Siddaramaiah, who had declared that there was no going back on the padayatra and that he will walk along with Shivakumar to Bengaluru, has got his gear ready with a new pair of shoes, medical kit, caps, vaseline and water bottles. He had also rested for two days at a farm house on the outskirts of the city along with a few Congress leaders.
The AHINDA leader’s personal staff and gunman will also join him on rotation during the 10-day padayatra covering 160 km. A senior Congress leader, who did not want to be named, said that he was shocked when the 74-year-old Siddaramaiah said that he was mentally prepared for the long walk. “Being younger than him, I have also decided to join him on all the 10 days and will galvanise support for the party while exposing both the BJP and JDS,” he said.