Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, led by Karnataka State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashoka, and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, on Wednesday visited multiple villages near Bidadi on the outskirts of Bengaluru to express solidarity with farmers opposing the state government's proposed township land acquisition. The visit signals a sharpening of the political battle over the Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township (GBIT) project, which the Karnataka government has projected as a futuristic 'AI City' to ease pressure on Bengaluru's infrastructure.

Villages Visited and Farmers Engaged

The BJP delegation toured Kempayyana Palya, Aralalasandra, Hosur, and Bannigiri villages, where agricultural communities have been resisting the state government's land acquisition plans. Former Deputy Chief Minister and MLA C.N. Ashwath Narayan, senior MLA S. Suresh Kumar, and several other party leaders accompanied the group.

The leaders visited a milk dairy in Bidadi and held discussions with dairy farmers. They also toured agricultural fields and sericulture farms, engaging with silk growers about the challenges they face and the potential impact of the township project on their livelihoods.

What the BJP Said

Speaking earlier in Bengaluru, Vijayendra squarely accused the Congress government of prioritising real estate interests over farmer welfare. 'The priority of Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and the Congress government is neither farmers nor providing houses for the poor. Within 24 hours of taking oath, the Chief Minister demonstrated that real estate is his priority,' Vijayendra alleged.

He demanded that the Congress government withdraw the proposed land acquisition plan and abandon the township project in its current form. 'The government should come to the rescue of farmers. I urge him to give up his stubborn attitude and ensure that farmers are not forcibly displaced from their lands,' he said. Vijayendra also dismissed anti-BJP posters that appeared in the Bidadi region ahead of the visit, accusing the ruling party of attempting to intimidate the opposition. 'We will not hesitate or be intimidated,' he said.

About the Bidadi Township Project

The Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township (GBIT) — commonly referred to as the Bidadi Township Project — is estimated to cost between ₹18,000 crore and ₹20,000 crore and is planned across approximately 7,481 acres spanning nine villages in the Bidadi region. The Karnataka government has positioned it as a 'work-live-play' urban hub and 'AI City' designed to decongest Bengaluru.

The state recently issued a final notification for the acquisition of nearly 500 acres in the first phase, covering parts of Kempayyanapalya, Mandalahalli, and Vaderahalli villages. Authorities say the project will generate employment, housing, and modern infrastructure.

Farmers' Concerns and the Broader Dispute

Farmers and opposition parties allege that fertile agricultural land is being acquired without adequate consent, and that the project threatens rural livelihoods — including dairy farming and sericulture, which are mainstays of the Bidadi region's rural economy. This comes amid a wider pattern of urban-expansion conflicts across Karnataka, where rapid Bengaluru growth has repeatedly pushed development pressure onto peri-urban agricultural belts.

Notably, the acquisition of 500 acres in the first phase alone has drawn protests across multiple villages, and the BJP's ground-level mobilisation signals that the Bidadi dispute is set to become a sustained political flashpoint ahead of local body elections. The government has yet to respond formally to the BJP's demand for withdrawal of the acquisition plan.