The BJP on Tuesday launched its 10-day ‘Ballari Chalo’ padyatra from Lingasugur in Raichur district, intensifying its campaign against the Congress government in Karnataka. Led by BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra, the march began with the singing of the farmers’ anthem. Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa described the padyatra as the beginning of a larger political struggle against the state government over alleged corruption, drought, farmer concerns and governance issues.

Yediyurappa alleged that the government was “anti-farmer, anti-people, anti-development and anti-women” and accused it of being steeped in corruption. He declared that the BJP’s agitation would continue until the government was removed from power. He also maintained that the padyatra was not an election campaign meeting but the start of a sustained movement against what the party described as misgovernance.

Yediyurappa also criticised Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar over his dealings with the Congress central leadership and questioned the independence of the Chief Minister’s office. Appealing to people to support the padyatra, he described the march as a platform to raise issues affecting people across Karnataka and alleged that the state government had failed to address public concerns adequately.

Also Read: Karnataka IPS Reshuffle: 15 Top Officials Transferred Statewide

Several senior BJP leaders joined the launch and targeted the Congress government on different issues. BJP co-in-charge Sudhakar Reddy accused the government of being anti-Dalit, anti-farmer, anti-ST and anti-women, while former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced that the BJP had planned a series of agitations across Karnataka. Former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar credited earlier BJP protests with contributing to former minister B. Nagendra’s resignation and said the party would continue its campaign against the government.

Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council R. Ashoka focused on the drought situation, alleging that 175 taluks were facing drought while only 101 had been declared drought-affected. He also accused the government of burdening people through tax increases. Other BJP leaders, including Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, Govind Karjol, B. Sriramulu and C.T. Ravi, raised concerns over drought relief, infrastructure, prices, law and order and alleged financial irregularities.

Former minister Janardhana Reddy demanded Rs 20,000 crore for construction of the Navali reservoir and claimed that the BJP would return to power in Karnataka in 2028. BJP state general secretary P. Rajeev and MLA Manappa Vajjal said the padyatra would proceed from Lingasugur to Ballari, highlighting what the party described as irregularities, scams and failures of the state government. The BJP has indicated that the 10-day march is part of a wider political campaign on issues including drought, farmers’ concerns and alleged corruption.

Also Read: Karnataka CM Shivakumar To Send Nagendra’s Resignation Letter To Governor