BJP launches 175-km Ballari padayatra keeping 2028 assembly polls in sight

Bengaluru: The BJP on Tuesday launched a 175-km padayatra from Lingasugur in Raichur district to Ballari, stepping up its attack on the DK Shivakumar government and seeking to mobilise its cadre ahead of the assembly elections due in less than two years.

There are also panchayat and local body polls due which the government said it would hold this year.

Shivakumar sought to downplay the protest, saying the BJP’s campaign would give the Congress an opportunity to respond. “We are prepared to come up with a counter strategy,” he told reporters.


The BJP had originally planned the 10-day padayatra to demand the removal of B Nagendra from the Cabinet over corruption allegations. Nagendra resigned last week, but the party decided to continue with the march, shifting its focus to what it calls the Congress government’s failures.

The party has strategically chosen the Lingasugur-Ballari route, with the Congress having won all five Lok Sabha seats in the Kalyana Karnataka region in the 2024 general elections. Nagendra represents Ballari Rural in the Assembly.

Launching the ‘Ballari Chalo’ padayatra at Lingasugur, BJP state president BS Vijayendra said the march would influence the future political direction of Karnataka. He accused the Congress government of corruption and alleged that it had failed to address drought conditions and the large number of vacant government posts.

Leader of Opposition R Ashoka alleged that farmers in 125 taluks were facing drought and accused the government of not releasing funds for relief.

The Congress, meanwhile, is preparing a counter-campaign ahead of the panchayat and urban local body elections.

KPCC president BK Hariprasad on Tuesday held a meeting with Congress candidates who lost the 2023 Assembly elections to discuss preparations for the local body polls, including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and strengthening the party organisation.