BJP Confirms JDS Participation in Saturday’s Padayatra

Bengaluru: State president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) B.Y. Vijayendra on Thursday stated its alliance partner Janata Dal Secular (JDS) will be part of the weeklong padayatra from Bengaluru city to Mysuru city starting on Saturday demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over alleged irregularities in plot distribution in Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) and fraudulent bank transactions in Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation.

On Wednesday, JDS State president and Union Minister of Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy decided to pull out of the padayatra citing ill-treatment by BJP and accused BJP of not taking JDS into confidence in the conduct of the padayatra.

In Bengaluru, a meeting was held by Union Minister for Consumer Affairs Prahalad Joshi, Union Minister of Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy, B. Y. Vijayendra among others and leaders finalized the conduct of the padayatra.

Vijayendra told reporters his father and former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and H.D. Kumaraswamy will jointly flag off the padayatra and the padayatra will culminate in Mysuru city, the home town of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on August 10. The valedictory function of the padayatra will be attended by Union Ministers.

Yediyurappa said as many as 10,000 party workers of both the parties will participate in the padayatra and the fight of BJP-JDS will not stop until Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tendered resignation.