Ballari Chalo Yatra Marks New Era for BJP in Karnataka: Vijayendra
Vijayendra said the BJP would use the campaign to expose what he termed the “true face” of the Congress government
Raichur: Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra on Tuesday said the 10-day ‘Ballari Chalo’ padayatra against the Congress government marked the beginning of a “new era” for the BJP in the state.
Speaking to reporters after offering prayers at the Sri Amareshwara Temple at Gurugunta in Lingasugur, Vijayendra asserted that the agitation against the government would continue until the Congress was voted out of power and the BJP-led NDA returned to power in Karnataka.
The BJP president accused the Congress government of being corrupt, anti-poor, anti-Dalit and anti-development.
He said the 10-day march was only the beginning of a larger political campaign and that the BJP would continue its struggle over the next one-and-a-half to two years.
“Today, our fight against this corrupt, anti-Dalit and anti-people government has begun. The padayatra may conclude on September 10, but our struggle will not end there. It will continue until this corrupt government is uprooted,” he said.
Vijayendra said the BJP would use the campaign to expose what he termed the “true face” of the Congress government and work towards bringing the BJP-led NDA back to power in Karnataka.
Claiming that the announcement of the padayatra had already put the Congress government under pressure, he referred to former minister B Nagendra’s resignation and said the government was forced to seek his resignation after the BJP announced the march.
“Our fight has already shaken the foundations of the Congress government,” he said.
He said the response to the padayatra would be visible in the coming days but maintained that the objective of the campaign went beyond the number of participants.
“The Congress government is already feeling the impact of this agitation. The real fight begins today,” he said.
Describing the launch of the padayatra as a significant moment for the party, Vijayendra said, “In one line, a new era for the BJP begins today.”
Vijayendra said senior BJP leaders would participate in the 10-day padayatra and claimed that party workers and youth from across North Karnataka had shown keen interest in joining the campaign. According to him, party workers had spent the past week making preparations for the march.
The padayatra was initially planned with a demand for the resignation of former minister B Nagendra. However, despite his subsequent resignation, the BJP decided to go ahead with the 10-day march, saying Nagendra’s resignation was only one of several issues being raised against the Congress government.
The party said the padayatra would highlight several issues, including allegations of corruption and concerns relating to the poor, Dalits and development.