Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar and supporters at Trinity Circle during Congress’s second phase of Mekedatu Padayatra 2.0 - Walk for Water, from Ramanagaram to Bengaluru on March 2, 2022. | Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN
The Congress' padayatra from Mekedatu of Ramanagaram district to Bengaluru, seeking implementation of the Mekedatu drinking water project, which has raised political heat in the State ahead of elections next year, is set to culminate here on Thursday with a rally at the National College Grounds.
Expected to mobilise thousands of Congress workers, the padayatra will commence from Bengaluru Palace Grounds on the final day. The culmination of the nine-day padayatra from Mekedatu will have participation of Congress leaders and workers from several states across India even as it moved closer to the venue on Wednesday with hundreds of workers taking part.
More seen as a political strategy to strike a chord among the Cauvery basin districts’ population, especially the dominant Vokkaliga population, the padayatra - truncated temporarily due to COVID-19 fears in second week of January - has so far put up an united face in the Congress with leaders from across communities and region in the State joining the nearly 170-km long walk.
While workers are expected to come from different parts of the State to the public rally, Youth Congress presidents from 12 states are coming voluntarily to witness it, KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar told reporters here before the padayatra commenced towards Palace Grounds. “I had not invited them. They are coming here voluntarily to see how a struggle for public purpose gathers here. I have also invited some national leaders to take part in the culmination programme,” he said, adding that though the Mekedatu rally would end, there will be more such struggles for public purpose.
He said that all sections of the society have been invited to take part in the rally, and non-Congress workers are also taking part. Claiming that it will get into history pages, he urged more people to participate in the historical rally, which will be led by Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council B.K. Hariprasad. “This will be also an occasion for people to understand and experience a political rally. An invitation has been sent to non-political organisations too,” he said.
