B.S. Yeddyurappa, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, has changed tack on the proposed Karnataka bandh (barring Bengaluru) on Monday over the government not yet taking a stand on the promise of farm loan waiver. He said on Saturday that it was not the BJP that had called for a bandh, but it was only “supporting a voluntary bandh call” being observed by farmers. This comes a day after he, while speaking in the House, threatened a bandh on Monday if the government failed to waive farm loans by then. He even made a media statement calling on people to voluntarily close business on Monday. However, a farmers’ union that The Hindu spoke to said they had not given a call for bandh. In fact, they said all the three political parties were needlessly politicising the issue. Sources in the BJP said a decision was taken to not officially call for a bandh, but would lead agitations in all district centres on Monday and support a bandh.
“There will be a bandh and agitations across the State, except in Bengaluru as polling in R.R. Nagar Assembly segment will be held on Monday,” a senior leader said.
