The Congress party will be holding a convention in Mysuru on January 3 as a prelude to the padayatra from Mekedatu.
The padayatra from January 9 is to bring pressure on the BJP Government in Karnataka to begin the project, which envisages the construction of a balancing reservoir, generate power and provide drinking water to Bengaluru.
Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President D.K. Shivakumar are expected to participate in the convention.
The Congress party, which is buoyed by its performance in the recently held elections to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and the Legislative Council from local area constituencies, will also kickstart its membership drive in Mysuru region during the convention.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Friday, former MP and Working President of KPCC R. Dhruvanarayan hit out at BJP MP Pratap Simha as well as JD(S) leaders, who had criticised the padayatra. He said they were opposing it out of sheer desperation.
Mr. Dhruvanarayan said the Congress had established an upper hand in the recently-held elections to the Legislative Council as wells the urban local bodies. This proved that there was a wave in favour of the party in the State. The Congress had performed well even in parts of the State that were considered to be BJP strongholds. The people of the State were upset with the “anti-people” policies of the BJP Government and ,disappointed due to the price rise and difficulties they faced during COVID-19, besides the internal squabbles in the ruling party.
Mr. Dhruvanarayan expressed confidence that the Congress will return to power in the State by securing a majority in the next Assembly elections.
He said the JD(S) had lost support of the people even in Old Mysore regions of Mandya, Tumakuru and Bengaluru rural. The party had won a seat from Mysuru-Chamarajanagar constituency due to the second preference votes cast by Congress voters, he claimed.
Mr. Dhruvanarayan opposed the BJP’s decision to liberate temples from Government control. Arguing that it was better if the temples remained under the control of Muzrai Department, he said there could a “hidden agenda” behind the move.
