From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Nov 28: In a bid to counter the opposition BJP’s series of pre-poll yatras including the latest Parivarthana Yatra led by State BJP President B S Yeddyurappa, the ruling Congress party in Karnataka is set to launch its own yatra christened as "Janarshivada Yatra" from March next year ahead of the ensuing assembly polls in Karnataka due in April-May 2018.

The ruling Congress party’s Janarshivada Yatra will have both the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and State Congress party President Dr G Parameshwara taking part along with other State leaders.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who spoke to reporters at a function to accord farewell to the outgoing Chief Secretary Subhash Chandra Kuntia in Vidhana Soudha on Tuesday, said he will be participating in the yatra from March onwards.

Unlike the opposition BJP, which seems to be busy in carrying out various kinds of yatras, he said: "We have a government to run and attend to the problems of the people. We cannot abdicate our responsibilities."

Siddaramaiah, who came to power after leading the Congress party’s mega 320-kms padayatra from Bengaluru to Bellary in 2012 against the misrule of the BJP government and the plundering of natural resources by the Reddy brothers, said all leaders including the State Congress president G Parameshwara, would participate in the Janarshirvada Yatra in March. It may be recalled that the Chief Minister had reportedly decided to take out his own yatra from mid-December by touring all the districts and holding public meetings in different districts.

However, KPCC President Dr G Parameshwara had publicly announced that he would not take part in any programme of the government as he had to look after party work.

As the conflicting stands of the Chief Minister and KPCC President or the absence of one of the leaders was likely to send strong message of disunity within the party and even cause damage, the party high command has apparently directed them to present a united front instead of going their separate ways.

Siddaramaiah made it clear that he would step up his district tours from December 13 and would take part in the Janarshivada Yatra from March onwards as part of the preparations for the elections.

Hitting out at the opposition BJP for its Parivarthana Yatra and various other agitations, the chief minister said unlike the Opposition, “We are ruling the State. We have to clear files and deliver services to the people.”

Keeping all these factors into account, it was decided to launch the Janashirvada Yatra in March, he said.

"We are going to the people after fulfilling almost all the promises made by the party unlike the BJP. When the party was in power in the State, we know the kind of corruption and other scams with several persons going to jail. As for the BJP rule at the Centres, none of the promises have materialised the lives of the people have become miserable instead of the promised Achche Din," he said adding: "We will expose everything and enlighten the people besides seeking their blessings."