Ballari/Bengaluru: The BJP has decided to launch the second-leg of Raitha Chaitanya Yatra from Ballari in an attempt to strengthen its image in the district. Ever since the mining scandal broke out during the BJP regime involving its leaders, including former CM B.S. Yeddyurappa, the image of the party in the district has taken a severe beating. So much so that both state and national leaders have stayed away from the district.
Spurred by the arrest of Congress leader in Ballari Anil H. Lad by CBI in connection with mining scam, BJP is making an attempt to regain lost ground, under the leadership of Mr Sriramulu.
The Congress held a 320-km padayatra in 2010 against the BJP and its involvement in the mining scandal and managed to win elections in the Ballari City Municipal Corporation, four assembly seats in 2013 general elections and even the 2014 by-election held for Ballari (ST) assembly seat.
Though Mr Sriramulu won the Ballari Lok Sabha election on BJP ticket in May 2014 after quitting his own regional outfit BSR Congress party, his win was largely attributed to the nation-wide ‘Modi wave.’
“The party cannot afford to lose Sriramulu who has become popular among dominant Valmiki community”, said a senior leader in the party.
Three teams to check BSY ascent?
With an intention to reduce the dominance of former CM B.S. Yeddyurappa in the Raitha Chaitanya Yatra, the BJP has decided to organise the rally under three teams in the second phase.
In the first leg of the yatra, Mr Yeddyurappa stole the show. This did not go down well with some in the state BJP. To send out the message that the party was operating under a collective leadership, the BJP has decided to set up three teams for the second phase. These teams will be led by Mr Yeddyurappa, state BJP president Pralhad Joshi and former CM Jagadish Shettar. The first team led by Mr Yeddyurappa will include Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje and MLA Sunil Kumar. The second team led by Mr Joshi will comprise former deputy CM K.S. Eshwarappa, former ministers Govind Karjol, V. Somanna, Umesh Katti and Araga Jnanendra. The third under Mr Shettar will have former deputy CM R. Ashok, former minister Revu Naik Belamagi, Laxman Savadi, MLAs Shashikala Jolle, A. Narayanaswamy, Abdul Azeem, Ashwathnarayana and S. Shivaprasad. The team headed by Mr Shettar will hold rallies at Molakalmuru, Koratagere, Madhugiri, Shira, Devanahalli, Shidlaghatta, Mulabagilu, Humnabad, Alanda, Afzalpur, Ramadurga and
Khanapur. The rally will start from October 1 and end on October 11.
