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Congress plans bus tour across Karnataka ahead of assembly elections
The development comes in the backdrop of the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar while talking to media on Wednesday gave an indication in this regard by stating that the next plan of action is to take forward the momentum of the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ at the state-level.
With only a few months left for assembly elections in Karnataka, the state Congress unit is planning a state-wide bus tour, people in the know of the development said on Wednesday.
The development comes in the backdrop of the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar while talking to media on Wednesday gave an indication in this regard by stating that the next plan of action is to take forward the momentum of the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ at the state-level.
According to a senior party leader, “The bus tour will be led by Shivakumar and Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah separately, similar to the party’s 1999 ‘Panchjanya Yatra’ during which the Congress leaders led by the then KPCC chief S M Krishna travelled in buses”.
According to the leaders in the know of the development, the plan is to form two teams to cover all 224 assembly constituencies where public meetings will be held.
Shivakumar said, “The next plan of action for Karnataka is by intertwining the Bharat Jodo Yatra with Karnataka politics for the development of the state”. “We can’t leave it (the momentum of Bharat Jodo Yatra) here (in Karnataka). Also at the KPCC level, how to take it forward until the yatra ends (in Kashmir) is being thought about... the senior leaders will soon be discussing this,” Shivakumar said.
The KPCC chief added that he will also get a report on party leaders and office-bearers who did not actively participate in the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Responding to a question on reports that he did not get adequate cooperation from other state Congress leaders in organising the Yatra in Karnataka, Shivakumar said: “This yatra was because of cooperation from everyone, everyone has put in effort according to their capacity...as I’m the president, there was extra responsibility on me. We have gone by collective leadership.” He, however, said he would seek a report from general secretaries, in-charge secretaries of the party on who did what.
“We already have reports ready, I will get them,” he said.
Recalling Rahul Gandhi’s interaction with the participants during the yatra in the state, Shivakumar said: “His (Rahul Gandhi’s) goal and determination was visible throughout the yatra. To keep record of the yatra for the future, there are plans to organise photo exhibitions in the days to come”.
The state party leaders visited New Delhi on Wednesday, and are likely to discuss and finalise the tour plan.
The state unit of Congress is also in the process of setting up a panel to address the concerns shared by people with Rahul Gandhi during the Yatra, Shivakumar had said on Tuesday.
“A committee will be created by Karnataka Congress headed by Dhruv Narayan to study the grievances raised by those whom he (Rahul Gandhi) visited and whosoever he met. We will see what more we can do as a party and how we can enhance the situation,” he had said.
“The Bharat Jodo Yatra did not simply remain a padayatra but became a people’s movement...it is an honest attempt to give a new direction to country’s politics,” Shivakumar added.
(With inputs from PTI)
