The Bharatiya Janata Party's 'Ballari Chalo' padyatra entered its third day on Thursday, 3 September, with Karnataka BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra escalating his offensive against the state's Congress government in Raichur. Vijayendra alleged that funds earmarked for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe welfare were being diverted to finance the government's guarantee schemes, and accused the administration of indifference to an acute agrarian crisis.

Allegations Over Dalit Welfare Funds

Flagging off the day's march and addressing reporters in Raichur, Vijayendra charged that the SCSP-TSP (Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan) funds, constitutionally mandated for the development of Dalits and tribal communities, were being redirected. 'Congress is using Dalits and oppressed communities merely as a vote bank. The SCSP-TSP funds allocated for the development of Dalits are being used for guarantee schemes,' he alleged. He said he had met Dalit leaders on Wednesday to discuss these concerns and demanded that such funds be utilised exclusively for their intended beneficiaries.

Farmer Suicides: The Numbers BJP Is Citing

Vijayendra alleged that 3,655 farmers had died by suicide in Karnataka over the past three years. Of these, he claimed 937 were from the Kalyana Karnataka region alone — including 295 from Kalaburagi, 169 from Raichur, 220 from Bidar, and more than 80 from Koppal. Directly addressing Minister Priyank Kharge, he said the figures reflected the government's 'anti-farmer attitude' and demanded an urgent official response to agrarian distress.

Key Demands Raised During the Padyatra

The BJP state president put forward a series of demands: a crop-loan waiver of up to ₹5 lakh for farmers in drought-affected areas, citing drought-like conditions across more than 190 taluks; immediate release of approximately ₹145 crore allegedly pending to farmers for maize procured at the minimum support price; and payment of dairy incentives to milk producers that Vijayendra claimed had been disbursed during B.S. Yediyurappa's tenure as Chief Minister but discontinued since. He also demanded that the government convene a special session of the Karnataka Assembly to deliberate on the agrarian crisis, and called for desilting of the Tungabhadra dam and priority status for the Navali reservoir project.

BJP's Response to Congress Counter-Mobilisation

Responding to Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President R.B. Hariprasad's reported call for Congress workers to display black flags along the padyatra route, Vijayendra was pointed in his rebuke. 'Stop the padayatra if you want. Even if you hang us, it does not matter. But first respond to the problems of farmers,' he said. He urged Hariprasad and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to 'wipe the tears of farmers instead of showing black flags,' adding that the public would deliver its verdict 'at the appropriate time.'

What Comes Next

The padyatra, which has drawn attention across Karnataka according to the BJP, is expected to continue building pressure on the state government as it moves toward Ballari. Whether the Congress administration responds formally to the demands — particularly on the crop-loan waiver and the SCSP-TSP fund utilisation — will determine the political temperature in the days ahead.