BJP set to hold ratha yatras across different parts of K’taka: Leaders

Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold Ratha Yatras in different parts of the state as part of the saffron party’s election campaign, leaders close to developments said on Saturday

Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold Ratha Yatras in different parts of the state as part of the saffron party’s election campaign, leaders close to developments said on Saturday.

The leaders said that the ratha yatra would be held by four teams, led by chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, state party president Nalin Kumar Kateel, former CM BS Yeddyurappa and BJP state in-charge Arun Singh. (HT)

The leaders said that the ratha yatra would be held by four teams, led by chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, state party president Nalin Kumar Kateel, former CM BS Yeddyurappa and BJP state in-charge Arun Singh.

In some places, national leaders and Union ministers will be involved in the yatra, they added.

The decision was made during the special executive committee meeting held in Bengaluru on Saturday to review preparations for the assembly elections and prepare a calendar of events on poll preparation.

The meeting at Palace grounds was attended by over 800 members.

The Rath Yatra is likely to start on February 26 and end on March 23.

“The four yatra will begin from Bengaluru’s Kempegowda Statue, Chamarajanagar’s Mahadeshwara Hill, Sangolli Rayanna statue in Belagavi district and the Anvabha Mantapa at Basavakalyan in Bidar district. All yatra will end at Devangere, where a large convention will be held,” a senior leader said.

Apart from the rally, a decision was taken to appoint election in-charges for each constituency. “Each leader has been given their responsibilities and has been asked to provide a report on the political image, election trend and opposition activities in each constituency,” the leader said.

Meanwhile, party leaders said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a greenfield helicopter production facility of state-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Monday in Karnataka’s Tumakuru that will initially produce light utility helicopters (LUHs).

The defence ministry billed the 615-acre factory as India’s largest helicopter-manufacturing facility, and it has been planned as a one-stop solution for the country’s chopper requirements.

Officials said the HAL plans to produce more than 1,000 helicopters in the range of three to 15 tonnes, with a total business of more than ₹4 lakh crore over 20 years.

The facility will be augmented to produce other helicopters, such as light combat helicopters (LCHs) and Indian multirole helicopters (IMRHs).

It will also be used for the maintenance, repair and overhaul of LCHs, LUHs, civil advanced light helicopters (ALHs) and IMRHs in the future, the officials said.

Potential exports of civil light utility helicopters would also be catered to from the Tumakuru factory, which is at a distance of around 70 kilometres from Bengaluru.

“In yet another step towards ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate to the nation a helicopter factory of the HAL in Tumakuru, Karnataka, on February 6,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh and senior officials of the ministry will attend the ceremony.

(With PTI inputs)