Farewell to ‘Mysuru Chalo’ Padayatra: BJP-JD(S) alliance’s show of strength

Mysore/Mysuru:Thousands of BJP-Janata Dal (Secular) workers gathered to bid farewell Mysuru Chalo Padayatra this morning on the Maharaja’s College premises.

The event, which was held a day after the Janandolana Congress Convention at the same venue, came as a show of strength for the saffron and regional parties against their common rival, the Congress, which has allegedly been embroiled in scandals.

Former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, Union Ministers HD Kumaraswamy and Pralhad Joshi, Karnataka BJP president Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, State BJP president BY Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly R Ashok, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayan Swamy and other BJP-JD(S) leaders inaugurated the convention by offering floral tributes at the portraits of Dr BR Ambedkar, Maharshi Valmiki and Goddess Bhuvaneshwari.

In response to the allegations levelled by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar against Yediyurappa and the family of JD(S) leader HD Deve Gowda during a Congress convention, various documents related to allotment of 14 plots under the 50:50 scheme to BM Parvathi, Siddaramaiah’s wife, were displayed on an LED screen at the event.

Former minister and state JD(S) president SR Mahesh gave a detailed explanation of these documents, including sanction letters, land allotment records and possession certificates.

Retaliation for allegations against Congress

In retaliation to the JD(S) allegations of corruption on Congress party flex boards, the BJP-JD(S) coalition also presented flex boards with newspaper clippings on scams in Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) and Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes (ST) Development Corporation Ltd.

Earlier in his speech, JD(S) State Central Committee president GT Devegowda had said that the padayatra from Bengaluru to Mysuru was aimed at exposing corruption in the Congress government.

He stressed that the incumbent government should be removed and replaced by a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. Devegowda criticised the Congress for failing to initiate any development projects in the state even after 14 months in power. “We have to win the fight against the MUDA scam and our fight will continue till the government falls,” he said.

“CM must resign”

Former minister B. Sriramulu also took a firm stand against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, calling on him to resign voluntarily on grounds of moral responsibility. “You undertook a Padayatra for Ballari 14 years ago and now we are staging a Padayatra against you,” Sriramulu said.

The padayatra, which arrived in Mysuru yesterday evening, resumed its activities this morning after paying obeisance at the Sri Guru Raghavendraswamy Mutt on Narayan Shastry Road. BJP state president BY Vijayendra and JD(S) Youth president Nikhil Kumaraswamy led the procession, accompanied by enthusiastic party workers, to the convention venue.

Notable participants included Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Haveri MP and former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, former MP Prathap Simha, former ministers CS Puttaraju and BC Patil, Legislative Council caucus chairman Ravikumar and former ministers N. Mahesh and Bandeppa Kashempur.