Yatras will be launched in all districts. (file)
Gearing up for the 2023 elections, and determined to oust the incumbent BJP from power, the Congress in Karnataka today announced that they will launch their ambitious Bus Yatra campaign in Belagavi tomorrow. Unveiling the Prajadhwani campaign logo, DK Shivakumar, the Congress Chief in Karnataka, mounted a scathing attack against the ruling BJP for the "immoral and unconstitutional Operation Kamala".
"Karnataka's progress took a backseat as BJP got busy with rampant looting through 40% commission, forgetting more than 90% of their promises made during 2018 elections. They were busy focusing on communal politics and paralysing policies," he said.
Highlighting what he called the "failed policies" of the 'double engine government', Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said that the campaign is being launched to "highlight corruption by the BJP government, and to expose the lies of the BJP government".
Yatras will be launched in all districts. Due to time constraint, the congress has been divided into two groups -- headed by DK Shivakumar, and Siddaramaiah.
The Bus Yatra will be undertaken in multiple phases so that the leaders can cover all of Karnataka before the state goes to polls in 2023.
In the first phase, Siddaramaiah will campaign in Uttara Karnataka and Hyderabad Karnataka, and DK Shivakumar will be in the old Mysuru region. In the second phase, the former will cover Dakshina Kannada, while the latter will campaign in Uttara Karnataka.
"People are fed up with the government. And due to hate politics, and revenge politics, people are unable to live in peace. The law and order machinery has failed the people," Siddaramaiah said.
Calling Karnataka the state with the second-highest number of farmer suicides in the country, the Congress pinned the blame on the BJP for causing great distress to the farmers in the state.
"The BJP government's focus on 40% commission has resulted in the death of more than 3.5 lakh Kannadigas during the pandemic, and pushed innocent contractors to commit suicide." the Congress leaders added.
Taking pot shots at Chief Minister BS Bommai, the grand old party said, "Bommai is acting as a puppet in the hands of BJP's high command. Karnataka's aspirations have been ignored and the voice of Kannadigas has been suppressed."