Bidadi township: JD(S) march barred from Bengaluru; Deve Gowda dares CM

The Opposition JD(S) has now announced an August 18 rally at Freedom Park in Bengaluru.

Written by: Akram M

2 min readBengaluruAug 10, 2026 07:46 PM IST

HD Deve Gowda, Deve Gowda, Janata Dal (Secular), Doddaballapur, Vokkaliga heartland, Karnataka, Karnataka local body polls, JD(S)-BJP alliance, Indian express news, current affairs

Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda addressed the march at Bidadi on Monday. (File Photo)

Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda joined the JD(S) padayatra against the Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township (GBIT) project on Monday. The three-day march, however, was cut short after authorities denied it permission to enter Bengaluru, citing a Karnataka High Court order.

The party has now announced an August 18 rally at Freedom Park in the city, where the march was scheduled to culminate on Tuesday.

The march led by JD(S) youth wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy kicked off on Sunday. A tussle ensued near the Kaniminike toll plaza as JD(S) leaders insisted on ending the second day of the march at Siri Convention Hall, less than a kilometre ahead of the plaza. While authorities later allowed them to do so, they were advised against marching to Bengaluru city.

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Speaking at the march in Bidadi earlier, Gowda dared Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to implement the GBIT, also known as the Bidadi township project, adding that the JD(S) would never allow it to happen.

Also Read | Karnataka won’t force farmers to give land for Bidadi township, assures CM D K Shivakumar

The 93-year-old veteran linked the project to the change of leadership in the state. “(Shivakumar) might have promised someone to become CM. To help those people, don’t hurt the farmers here,” he said.

‘March for Nikhil Kumaraswamy’s political survival’

Taking a dig at the march, Shivakumar claimed that farmers were not participating in the padayatra and that it was “meant for the political survival of Nikhil Kumaraswamy”.

Speaking to reporters at Malur in Kolar district, the chief minister said the JD(S) had ferried volunteers from other regions to participate in the march.

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The march is part of the JD(S) campaign opposing the acquisition of around 7,400 acres of land for the GBIT.

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