From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Oct 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Karnataka on October 29, ahead of BJP’s 75-day 'Nava Karnataka Parivarthana Rally' on November 2 from Bengaluru.

The 'Nava Karnataka Parivarthana Rally' will be led by BJP’s chief ministerial candidate, B S Yeddyurappa.

During his visit, Modi will participate in the mega rally of Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project in Dakshina Kannada and attend the 10th anniversary programme by Vedanta Bharati, an organisation that instills moral values in children, where thousands of children will sing the Shree Soundarya Lahari Samarpana in Bengaluru, and also inaugurate the 116-km railway line in North Karnataka built at a cost of Rs 1,282 crore.

The Prime Minister will also be addressing 100,000 rural women beneficiaries of central financial inclusion schemes.
Modi will also attend an event to commemorate Dr D Veerendra Heggade’s 50 year tenure as “Dharmadhikari” of Dharmasthala Temple.

Heggade is a well-known social and cultural personality and wields considerable influence over the population in the region and any endorsement from him is expected to help change the party’s fading fortunes in Karnataka, analysts said.

Modi’s visit to Dharmasthala comes days after Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah visited the temple and assured all necessary assistance to Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) and also announced the setting up of 500 Indira Canteens – the government-sponsored subsidised food venture - in the district by January.

It remains to be seen if Modi will unveil any new schemes or plans while at Dharmasthala.

Coastal districts of Karnataka, especially Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, have a large presence of right-wing groups that frequently clash with minority groups, some of whom enjoy the backing of the Congress.

The BJP is looking beyond caste equations in the district and trying to consolidate the fragmented Hindu vote and isolate the minorities.

The recent induction of Anant Kumar Hegde, a controversial politician with far right views, into the Union cabinet is to further the same agenda in a district that has mixed BJP and Congress representation in the state assembly and Parliament.

The BJP, especially after the infighting between Yeddyurappa and K.S. Eshwarappa, leader of opposition in the legislative council, has become a little slow and are losing confidence. There is speculation that apart from Anant Kumar Hede, National Joint Secretary of BJP Santhosh is also considered as the probable alternatives to Yeddyurappa if the latter is overlooked.

Modi to visit State again on Jan 28?

The BJP also increased its attacks against the government, especially after Amit Shah pulled up the state unit for its inability to capitalise on contentious issues like the income tax raids on energy minister D.K. Shivakumar, fledgling infrastructure and mismanagement of handling the Cauvery river water problem last year, among other issues.

The BJP also carried on with its “Mangaluru Chalo” bike rally from across the state to use the recent violence in the Dakshina Kannada district to mobilize masses.

Though Modi will not be part of the Parivarthana rally being launched on November 2, State BJP leaders said he will be present in the state on January 28, the last day of the 75-day rally.

While the central leadership of the BJP continues the focus on poll-bound Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh for the moment, it will certainly hope that its fortunes change for the better in the beginning of next year, just in time the state heads to assembly polls.