Karnataka BJP padayatra from Sep 1: Nine constituencies, Valmiki scam at centre
Synopsis
Karnataka BJP is taking its Valmiki Corporation scam offensive to the streets — a 10-day padayatra across nine constituencies from 1 to 10 September, led by senior leaders including Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and H.D. Kumaraswamy. With ₹87 crore in alleged misappropriation at the centre of the charge, the march is as much about 2028 election positioning as it is about accountability.
Key Takeaways
Karnataka BJP will hold a 10-day padayatra from 1 to 10 September across nine Assembly constituencies .
The march starts at Lingasugur and concludes in Ballari , covering the Kalyana Karnataka belt.
Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and H.D.
Kumaraswamy , and BJP state president B.Y.
Vijayendra are set to participate.
BJP alleges ₹87 crore was misappropriated from the Valmiki Corporation and misused during Lok Sabha elections.
Nagendra resigned twice over the scam; BJP also alleged that corporation official Chandrashekhar died by suicide amid alleged threats linked to the case.
Sriramulu challenged Nagendra to contest against him in the 2028 Assembly election .
The Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will launch a 10-day protest march across nine Assembly constituencies from 1 September to 10 September, former minister and BJP leader B. Sriramulu announced on Saturday, 29 August. Sriramulu unveiled the logo for the padayatra at the party's state office, Jagannath Bhavan, in Bengaluru, framing the march as a direct challenge to the Congress-led state government over the alleged Valmiki Corporation scam.
Route and Key Participants
The padayatra will begin with a large public meeting at Lingasugur on 1 September and conclude in Ballari on 10 September. The march will pass through nine constituencies: Lingasugur, Maski, Sindhanur, Karatagi, Gangavathi, Kampli, Sandur, Ballari Rural, and Ballari City.
Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and H.D. Kumaraswamy, Karnataka BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka, and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy are among those expected to participate in the inaugural programme, according to Sriramulu.
The Valmiki Corporation Scam Allegation
Sriramulu alleged that ₹87 crore had been transferred out of the Valmiki Corporation and claimed the funds were misused during the Lok Sabha elections to defeat the BJP across various districts. He noted that former minister B. Nagendra had resigned twice over the same issue, calling the development unusual, and said then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had acknowledged that irregularities had taken place in the corporation.
Sriramulu also alleged that a tribal welfare corporation official, Chandrashekhar, had died by suicide after reportedly facing threats and harassment in connection with the case, and accused the Congress government of failing to support the deceased official's family.
BJP's Broader Attack on the Congress Government
Sriramulu targeted Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, alleging that he had effectively concluded Nagendra should resign under Opposition pressure rather than defending him. He criticised Shivakumar's characterisation of Nagendra as an 'asset of the Congress', alleging that Nagendra had 'pledged public money' to the party.
The BJP leader also accused the Congress of exploiting Dalits for political gain, alleging that the state government had misused funds earmarked under the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan. Sriramulu argued the BJP had raised the Valmiki Corporation issue not for electoral advantage but in the interest of the Scheduled Tribe community's future.
Personal Challenges and Political Posturing
In a pointed personal challenge, Sriramulu invited Nagendra to contest the 2028 Assembly election against him in whichever constituency Nagendra chose. He further called for the dismissal of the entire state government and fresh elections across Karnataka, asserting that the BJP would make that happen.
This comes amid sustained Opposition pressure on the Siddaramaiah-Shivakumar government over multiple alleged financial irregularities, with the Valmiki Corporation case emerging as one of the most politically charged flashpoints of the current Assembly term. The padayatra is set to test the BJP's organisational strength across the Kalyana Karnataka region ahead of the 2028 state elections.
Point of View
A region with significant Scheduled Tribe and backward-caste voters, signals deliberate 2028 groundwork. The Valmiki Corporation case gives the BJP a rare issue that combines financial misconduct allegations with identity politics, allowing it to claim the moral high ground on tribal welfare while putting the Congress on the defensive. However, Sriramulu's rhetoric — predicting the Congress will be 'wiped out' and challenging Nagendra to a direct contest — risks overshadowing the substantive accountability argument with political theatre. The BJP's credibility on this issue will ultimately depend on whether it pushes for a credible independent probe rather than using the scam purely as campaign fodder.
NationPress
29 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Karnataka BJP padayatra starting 1 September?
It is a 10-day protest march by the Karnataka BJP across nine Assembly constituencies from 1 to 10 September, beginning at Lingasugur and ending in Ballari. The march is directed against the Congress-led state government and centres on the alleged Valmiki Corporation scam.
What is the Valmiki Corporation scam?
The Valmiki Corporation scam refers to allegations that ₹87 crore was misappropriated from the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation. Former minister B. Nagendra resigned twice over the controversy; the BJP also alleges the funds were misused during the Lok Sabha elections.
Who are the key BJP leaders participating in the padayatra?
Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and H.D. Kumaraswamy, Karnataka BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka, and Legislative Council Opposition leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy are expected at the inaugural event, according to B. Sriramulu.
Which constituencies will the padayatra cover?
The march will pass through Lingasugur, Maski, Sindhanur, Karatagi, Gangavathi, Kampli, Sandur, Ballari Rural, and Ballari City — all in the Kalyana Karnataka region.
What has the BJP alleged about Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar?
BJP leader B. Sriramulu alleged that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar chose not to defend former minister B. Nagendra and instead concluded under Opposition pressure that Nagendra should resign. Sriramulu also criticised Shivakumar's description of Nagendra as an 'asset of the Congress'.
