Bandh' can't stop Modi's rally in Bengaluru: BS Yeddyurappa

Bengaluru: Despite the Bengaluru bandh called by pro-Kannada organisations over the Mahadayi water dispute (since called off), the BJP declared on Friday that it would make a big success of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally on Sunday in the city.

Speaking to reporters after overseeing the arrangements for the rally at the Palace grounds here,  state BJP chief, B.S.Yeddyurappa deplored that  this was the first time a bandh had been called in the state to prevent a Prime Minister’s  rally. 

“This is nothing but a conspiracy hatched by the state government to derail the rally,” he charged, adding, “I request pro-Kannada organisations  to call off the Bengaluru bandh. But even if they don't the rally will go ahead and people will attend it in big number.”

Mr Yeddyurappa said the Prime Minister was unlikely to raise the  Mahadayi issue as it was an inter-state  matter, and  the Goa Congress was against an out of court settlement. He claimed that both during and after Mr Modi’s visit, several leaders of other parties would join the Bharatiya Janata Party.  Referring to his  Parivarthana yatra, Mr Yeddyurappa said that it had covered 11,000 km in 85 days and had received overwhelming response from the people everywhere. 

Haladi joins BJP
Meanwhile, independent MLA of Kundapura Assembly constituency, Haladi Srinivasa Shetty  joined the BJP in the  presence of party state leaders at the Palace grounds.

For Mr. Shetty it was a homecoming as he had left the party in 2012 miffed at being denied a berth in the Jagadish Shettar cabinet. 

But his re-entry was not easy as a section of party workers from Udupi district, who are against Udupi Chikkamagaluru MP, Shobha Karandlaje and some RSS leaders were strongly against it.    

He has now been reportedly assured a BJP ticket from Kundapura constituency.

Mr. Shetty had contested the 2013 Assembly elections from Kundapura as an independent  and won with a margin of over 40,000 votes. 

Farmers: Won’t support bandh
Hubballi: While  pro-Kannada organisations are readying for Bengaluru bandh on Sunday,  farmer leaders spearheading the protest on the Mahadayi dispute don’t appear keen on supporting it.

While hoping  to draw PM Modi’s attention to their protest when he visits Karnataka on Sunday, they  say the bandh will have no effect on political parties and only take away the livelihood of workers and petty businessmen. “We have launched a political party keeping the interest of the poor and farmers in mind. People from the working class and daily wage earners have asked us not to support the bandh as it will jeopardise their  livelihood,” said Dr Ayyappa, president of Jana Samanyara Paksha and former vice-chancellor.