Karnataka Congress leaders gear up for a tractor yatra across state

Tussle between Opposition leader Siddaramaiah and state Party President D.K. Shivakumar seems to be gathering steam as Karnataka Congress gears up to take out tractor yatra across the state buoyed by the success of Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra.

 

 

Both the leaders, vying for the chief minister's post, have planned separate programmes to project themselves as the prospective candidates. The leaders who seemed to bury their hatchets during Bharat Jodo Yatra and their recent visit to New Delhi have gone their own ways, say insiders in Congress.

The Congress leaders have planned for a tractor yatra across the state. The plan has been discussed with the high command, say sources.

The yatra will be taken up at the level of Assembly constituencies. The party will take up tractor yatra in north Karnataka and Kalyan (Hyderabad) Karnataka regions. "The party has decided to highlight the failure of the BJP government to implement Article 371 J in the Kalyan Karnataka region. The failure to ensure development and infrastructure will be highlighted during the yatra," party sources explained.

The yatra will begin from Basavakalyan in the first week of December, sources added.

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah has stated that the party is planning to organise a special campaign and clarified that it won't be a foot march. He maintained that the plans are yet to be finalised by the high command.

However, sources explained that Siddaramaiah's supporters have planned a special campaign against the ruling BJP in the state under his leadership.

Siddaramaiah was successful in making his 75th birthday celebrations a party affair and proved his might. Shivakumar camp had taken initiative to organise the Mekedatu padayatra and made Bharat Jodo Yatra in the state successful.

With veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge taking charge of AICC, the dimensions of politics within the party is going to take unpredictable twists, say Congress party leaders.

--IANS

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