Congress will counter BJP's Ballari march with own campaign strategy

Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced the Congress will devise its own campaign strategy to counter the BJP's 'Ballari Chalo' padayatra, dismissing the opposition march as a political diversion from internal party rifts.

Congress to match BJP's campaign tactics

"Let them take out 100 such padayatras. We will counter them," Shivakumar told presspersons, adding that the Congress would respond "in the BJP's own style". His statement is being interpreted as either the ruling party planning a similar campaign or politically countering BJP efforts in Ballari and surrounding areas to woo the Valmiki community.

The Chief Minister asserted the Congress had more experience conducting such marches, citing earlier padayatras including those on Ballari, Mekedatu, the Krishna water issue and the Kanyakumari-to-Kashmir yatra. "All our yatras were intended at protecting the interests of the State and the country unlike the BJP's ongoing yatra," he said.

Nagendra resignation backdrop

The BJP had disrupted the just concluded legislature session by demanding the resignation of B. Nagendra from the ministry. Shivakumar said Nagendra had quit though he was not involved in any irregularities, adding, "I will reply on this at an appropriate place".

The BJP had earlier announced the Raichur-to-Ballari padayatra in support of various issues including the demand for Nagendra's resignation. The opposition party proceeded with the march even after Nagendra quit, maintaining it was not focused solely on the Nagendra issue but intended to create public awareness against alleged irregularities and government failures.

Political calculations at play

In political circles, the BJP's padayatra is being seen as an effort to regain its hold in Ballari, Nagendra's home district, by using the episode of him being chargesheeted in the case of alleged embezzlement of funds meant for ST community welfare. The BJP campaign is also viewed as an effort to woo Valmiki community voters as it passes through areas with dominant presence of members of this scheduled tribe community.

Source: The Hindu