BENGALURU: On a day the state witnessed over a 90 per cent jump in fresh Covid-19 cases over the previous day, the opposition Congress in the state remained firm on its planned 163-km padayatra from Mekedatu in Kanakapura taluk to Bengaluru starting from January 9. The party even rejected an appeal by the government to reconsider its decision.
With the Congress state leadership putting up a united front over the Mekedatu issue, over 7,000 people, mostly party workers, have already registered for the 10-day padayatra and more are likely to enlist in the coming days. Some others are expected to take part voluntarily, which means it could turn out to be a mammoth rally.
Ahead of the the polls to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, various zilla and taluk panchayats, and the 2023 Assembly polls, Congress ticket aspirants and their supporters are likely to show up in large numbers to impress upon the state leadership, sources indicated.
In the wake of the surge in Covid-19 cases, Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar appealed to the Congress party on Tuesday to stop the padayatra. However, rebuffing him, KPCC president D K Shivakumar, suggested that Sudhakar focus on the task at hand and insisted that the padayatra will take place. “Let him do his job and bring funds due from the Centre to the state,” he quipped.
Shivakumar also questioned why cases were being slapped only on Congress leaders for violating Covid-19 norms, while letting the ruling BJP leaders, go scot free.“Are not Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his colleagues addressing public rallies in election-bound states such as Uttar Pradesh? Why are the BJP governments showing double standards? There is no going back from holding the padayatra to create awareness about the Mekedatu irrigation project”, senior leader and MLC B K Hariprasad told TNIE.
A host of leaders including Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, H K Patil, M B Patil, Ramalinga Reddy, M Veerappa Moily, Eshwar Khandre, Allum Veerabhadrappa, Saleem Ahmed, Dr G Parameshwara among others took part in a meeting chaired by Shivakumar at the KPCC office on Tuesday. The KPCC chief has formed different committees to oversee various aspects, including food and transportation.