Yatra vs Yatra in Karnataka: BJP goes head-to-head with Bharat Jodo this week

Originally planned as a series of public rallies to highlight the achievements of the BJP’s tenure in Karnataka, the Jana Sankalpa Yatra is now being seen as a counter to the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which entered the poll-bound state on September 30 and is meant to spend 21 days here, and has been drawing impressive crowds.

Over this current week, as the Congress yatra travels through some of Karnataka’s most backward districts, including Raichur and Ballari, the BJP’s two main leaders in the state — CM Bommai and former CM B S Yediyurappa — will also hold rallies in the region. The area has a high population of Scheduled Castes and Tribes, among whom the Congress has traditionally enjoyed a strong base.

Unlike the Congress march, which is a padyatra (on foot), though, the BJP yatra will see leaders heli-hopping or travelling by road to sites of rallies.

Bommai denied that the Jana Sankalpa Yatra was a counter to the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. “We will talk about our programmes and try to win the (2023) elections. There is no connection whatsoever between the Bharat Jodo Yatra and Jana Sankalp Yatra,” the CM said, before leaving Bengaluru for the rally in Raichur.

They hoped to motivate BJP workers through the rallies, Bommai said. “The rallies will be fixed by local workers and there will be two to three small functions apart from a main convention each day. At the functions, beneficiaries of various government schemes will be felicitated… We are not at all bothered about the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The people know very well about who is attached to them and who is detached. The yatra has no importance.”

In his speech at the Raichur rally, Bommai focused his attack on former CM Siddaramaiah – who is considered to be a leader of Dalits, backward classes and minorities in the Congress – saying the veteran was “squandering his self-respect” by taking part in the rally.

“Siddaramaiah calls himself a socialist, but the day he joined the Congress, he buried the socialist in him. I feel embarrassed by the fact that Siddaramaiah has to now dance to the tune of a young boy (Rahul Gandhi). He has to run when told, sit when told and walk when told. This is not a sign of self-respect. They are willing to do anything to regain power,” Bommai said.

In videos to come out of the Congress yatra, Siddaramaiah was seen running along with Rahul for a stretch, followed by a similar video of his rival and Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar.

Bommai said the Congress will rapidly lose the support base it enjoys among the backward classes and Dalits on account of his government’s recent decision to enhance reservation for SC/STs by a total of 6%.

“He (Siddaramaiah) is claiming that the enhanced reservation for SC/STs is a decision of the Congress. What is their contribution? They have been in power for 50 of 60 years, and when they were in power, they were informed that the population of SC/STs has increased, the number of communities has increased, and reservations should be increased… but they did not take a decision,” Bommai said.

“Their contribution to the state is creating welfare programmes in the name of Bhagyas, and preventing the welfare of SCs,” the CM said. (The various populist schemes of the Siddaramaiah government were called Bhagyas — Anna Bhagya was free rice, food grains; Krishi Bhagya was for farmers; Shaadi Bhagya was for marriage of Muslim girls, Danta Bhagya was to provide dentures to the elderly.)

“The Dalits have left them, the backward classes have left them and the Congress is now left with only the minorities. When he (Siddaramaiah) was in power, he did not remember the Dalits or the backward classes, and now they are coming to Raichur to prepare for the padyatra of their prince. They are afraid people might not gather, and so he is coming to ensure there are crowds,” the CM said.

On Tuesday, Siddaramaiah was in Raichur for preparatory meetings for the Bharat Jodo Yatra, ahead of its arrival in the region.

Yediyurappa also attacked Siddaramaiah in his speech, saying: “In the coming session (of the Assembly), we will expose all the corruption of the Siddaramaiah government.” He raised the controversy over a watch worn by Siddaramaiah and accused him of giving away property worth crores to the real estate sector in his time.

Comparing the Congress leaders to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Yediyurappa said: “He (Siddaramaiah) does not have the qualities required to even sit at the feet of PM Modi… This child Rahul Gandhi is also criticising the PM. The Congress has stooped very low.”

Yediyurappa said the Jana Sankalpa Yatra would turn out to be a victory march. “This yatra will continue till we win 150 seats, and we will not rest till this is accomplished.”