BENGALURU: In an attempt to impress upon the people of Karnataka that the JDS is concerned about water-related issues, the regional party launched its ambitious ‘Janata Jaladhare’ campaign in the run-up to the 2023 assembly elections, at Ramanagara on Tuesday.
The ‘Gangaratha Yatra’ campaign is touted as the party’s response to the Congress and BJP. Party workers will collect water from 90 rivers and tributaries from across the state and bring it to Bengaluru to perform ‘Ganga Puja’ until the elections.
Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, who flagged off 15 ‘Gangaratha’ buses which will take up an awareness campaign across the state, said, “It is not an election gimmick. We are in a crisis fighting for every drop of our water, and there is no question of letting farmers down. Let any party invite me for a struggle on water issues. I am ready to take part in it.”
The buses are equipped with LED screens to screen short movies and documentaries showcasing the contribution of the party, especially Gowda, to irrigation in the state, and how national parties betrayed the people. Speaking at the mega rally organised at the district stadium, Gowda claimed that he had to face insults in Parliament while raising water-related issues and vowed that he would fight for the state’s interest until his last breath.
“I am still alive and there is no question of stepping back from my struggle. My party workers have proved that nobody can finish off the JDS,” he said. Former Union minister C M Ibrahim, who is expected to be next JDS president, claimed that leaders from other parties are ready to join the JDS. “Kumaraswamy will certainly become the next chief minister,” he predicted. Magadi MLA A Manjunath took charge as Ramanagara district JDS, while JDS state president H K Kumaraswamy was absent.