Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will launch a 200-km padayatra from Raichur to Ballari between 1 September and 10 September to highlight what the party describes as the failures of the state's Congress government. BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra announced the march on Tuesday, 25 August, at the party's state headquarters, Jagannatha Bhavan, in Bengaluru.

Key Issues the Padayatra Will Target

Vijayendra outlined a broad set of grievances the march intends to amplify: alleged neglect of development, distress among farmers, inadequate welfare for low-income groups, lack of employment generation, reservation implementation, issues specific to North Karnataka, and delays in filling government vacancies.

Union ministers are expected to participate in both the inaugural event in Raichur on 1 September and the concluding programme in Ballari on 10 September, he said. The BJP also released a poster detailing the padayatra route.

JD(U) Support and Alliance Dynamics

Vijayendra noted that leaders of the Janata Dal (United), including Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy, would extend support to the programme — signalling a broader opposition front against the ruling Congress in the state.

Assembly Session Row and Valmiki Corporation Scam

The BJP president accused the Congress government of curtailing the Assembly session without permitting adequate debate on pressing matters. He alleged the government had avoided discussion on the drought situation, alleged irregularities in KPSC recruitment, government appointments, the Bidadi Township project, and the NICE project.

Vijayendra specifically demanded that Minister for Planning and Statistics B. Nagendra, who faces allegations in the Valmiki Corporation scam, be dropped from the Cabinet. He alleged that an official named Chandrashekhar, belonging to the Bhovi community, died by suicide and that his death note reportedly referenced fund transfers allegedly made on the oral instructions of a minister. He further claimed that a former Chief Minister had acknowledged a scam had occurred, and that Minister for Excise K.M. Shivalinge Gowda had described Nagendra as an accused.

Allegations Against Chief Minister Shivakumar

Vijayendra trained his sharpest criticism on Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, alleging his priorities were skewed toward real estate interests — citing the Bidadi Township, the proposed Kanakapura airport, and the NICE project. He also alleged attempts to acquire park land for development. The BJP accused the government of a 'double standard' in promoting tree plantation campaigns while reportedly facilitating real estate expansion.

He added that Shivakumar had shown early enthusiasm but had 'lost momentum' after more than two months in office, pointing to delays in Cabinet expansion and portfolio allocation as sources of internal dissatisfaction — including, he alleged, from former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Senior BJP Leaders Present

The announcement was attended by Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, former Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan, former ministers B. Sriramulu and Gali Janardhana Reddy, and other senior party figures.

The padayatra represents the BJP's most organised ground-level push against the Congress government since it came to power in Karnataka, and its success in mobilising voters in the Raichur-Ballari belt — historically contested terrain — will be closely watched ahead of future electoral cycles.