NEW DELHI: The Congress in Karnataka will launch a second ‘Bharat Jodo’ foot march on September 30, covering all 84 assembly constituencies where the party lost in the 2023 elections, as it steps up its political outreach ahead of the next state polls.The march will begin from Shikaripura in Shivamogga district, the political stronghold of former chief minister B S Yediyurappa and BJP state president B Y Vijayendra. It will span 29 districts and is planned to run for 84 days, Karnataka Congress chief B K Hariprasad said on Monday.The programme is being organised to mark the fourth anniversary of Rahul Gandhi‘s entry into Karnataka during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in 2022.“To commemorate Rahul Gandhi’s entry into Karnataka as part of his Bharat Jodo Padayatra on September 30, 2022, and to celebrate that occasion, we are also undertaking the second Bharat Jodo, in Karnataka from September 30,” PTI quoted Hariprasad as saying.The march will begin at 1pm, followed by a public meeting each day. Congress ministers and workers from Shivamogga are expected to join the opening programme, with Zameer Ahmed Khan, B L Shankar and Madhu Bangarappa among those named by Hariprasad.“After that, from October 4 or 5 onwards, we have planned a major programme under which we will continuously hold such programmes in all the districts and assembly constituencies where we have lost,” he said.Hariprasad said Shikaripura was chosen as the starting point to highlight what the party describes as shortcomings in BJP programmes.“The reason for starting from Shikaripura is that the BJP president had said that they would undertake a major foot march during the summer. So, we want to tell the people about the shortcomings, what the BJP is doing and the tragedies and shocks that are occurring because of their programmes,” he said.Shikaripura is currently represented by Vijayendra, while Yediyurappa represented the seat before him. Vijayendra’s elder brother B Y Raghavendra is the BJP MP from Shivamogga.Hariprasad said the Congress would also use the programme to create awareness about the functioning of constitutional institutions. He alleged that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was causing damage to these institutions.
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The Congress state chief said some districts could be covered twice if required. The concluding programme will be held after the march covers all 84 constituencies, though details of the venue and participation of senior central leaders have not yet been announced.
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