BENGALURU/SHIVAMOGGA: State Congress President BK Hariprasad on Monday said the Congress will launch ‘Bharat Jodo-2’ in Karnataka from September 30. The campaign will start from Shikaripura, Shivamogga district, and cover 84 assembly segments where the Congress lost in the 2023 Assembly polls. On September 30, 2022, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra had entered Karnataka.
Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Hariprasad said the padayatra will start at 1 pm and conclude with a rally in the constituency in the evening. Congress workers and leaders from across districts will take part in the padayatra, during which they will discuss drought and other issues with the people, and also create awareness about alleged wrongdoings by the Chief Election Commissioner, he said.
Shivamogga district minister Madhu S Bangarappa told reporters that a massive convention will be organised in Shikaripura on September 30 to commemorate the Bharat Jodo Yatra undertaken by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi four years ago. It will start at Kittadandi village at 10am, and the march will pass through Kote, Hosanagara, Mattikote, Hosanagara Cross and Nelavodlu village, before culminating at the APMC Yard in Shikaripura.
Responding to a question, the minister asserted that he was committed to ensuring the defeat of Shikaripura MLA and state BJP president BY Vijayendra in the next Assembly election. He alleged that Vijayendra had secured victory by a narrow margin.
“Our target is to defeat Vijayendra in Shikaripura in the next Assembly elections. Vijayendra is preparing to launch a padayatra. Let him do so, but not against the Congress. Instead, he should undertake a padayatra against corruption, for which his father BS Yediyurappa was the architect,” Madhu Bangarappa said.
