BENGALURU: With the BJP launching its padayatra to mount pressure on the Congress government over a host of issues, the ruling party is preparing to counter the Opposition campaign politically with Chief Minister D K Shivakumar making it clear that the Congress will not remain a passive spectator. However, the Congress leadership is yet to take a decision as to how to counter the BJP’s padayatra. There was a suggestion within the party to nullify the BJP campaign by focusing on development by releasing adequate grants for the welfare of the ST Nayaka community and the overall Kalyana Karnataka region, according to sources.
Shivakumar on Wednesday called the BJP rally a “prayaschitta yatra” to cover up its “wrongdoings” in Karnataka in the past. “You are undertaking a padayatra to cover up the injustices you have committed in the state. In response, the Congress will undertake a yatra. We will not sit quietly with folded hands. The Congress will give you a befitting reply,” he said while speaking to reporters.
Shivakumar sought to dismiss the campaign as an attempt by the BJP to overcome its internal crisis rather than a genuine political movement. At the same time, he indicated that the Congress has its own strategy to counter the Opposition’s mobilisation, though he stopped short of revealing the details. “Let them undertake their padayatra. I will not disclose what our yatra is for at this stage. We will not sit idle,” Shivakumar said.
The ruling party is expected to focus its counter-campaign on the government’s development programmes, welfare guarantees, drought-relief measures and its response to issues concerning farmers and weaker sections. Shivakumar also attempted to turn the tables on the BJP by raising the alleged links of BJP leaders with irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).
He claimed that information regarding the alleged involvement of BJP leaders has been shared with Home Minister Priyank Kharge and officials.
“The investigation will reveal who is behind the irregularities in the KPSC. It should also be investigated as to who appointed the (suspended) KPSC chairman and who was in contact with BJP leaders,” he said. The CM claimed that the former KPSC chairman was appointed during the BJP regime and referred to Union Minister Pralhad Joshi’s letter seeking his suspension.
The Congress is also likely to use the KPSC issue and other allegations against the previous BJP regime to blunt the Opposition’s campaign. The strategy would be to shift the political discourse from allegations against the incumbent government to the record of the BJP-JDS alliance when it was in power.
The Congress leadership appears keen to prevent the BJP from having an uninterrupted political narrative in the run-up to the next Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, KPCC chief B K Harirprasad held a crucial meeting of leaders of Kalyana Karnataka region as the BJP’s padayatra is traversing through the same region and seeing good response from the people. He instructed the leaders to hold press conferences and reply to the issues raised by the BJP, according to sources.