For months, there have been stories of a divide between former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief Shivakumar. Each are mentioned to be nursing chief ministerial ambitions and over per week in the past Shivakumar pulled up some get together colleagues for allegedly not stepping as much as make the yatra successful. The goal of his assault was the Siddaramaiah faction.
This time, it was once more as much as Rahul to get the 2 heavyweight leaders to publicly come collectively and undertaking a picture of bonhomie within the KPCC forward of subsequent yr’s Meeting elections. In August, with Rahul watching, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar hugged one another on the event of the seventy fifth birthday celebrations of the previous CM in Davangere.
On the occasion in Gundlupet, Rahul, Siddaramaiah, and Shivakumar initially performed the drums positioned in entrance of them on the stage by themselves. Then, the previous Congress president handed over a drumstick every to the state heavyweights and all three performed the drums collectively. With this, the Karnataka leg of the yatra was underway, the symbolism not misplaced on anybody. As Rahul started the march towards Begur, he was flanked by the 2 state Congress leaders and was seen holding their palms.
The BJP was fast to poke enjoyable on the Opposition get together. “Is it Bharat Jodo Yatra or Siddu (Siddaramaiah)-DKShi (DK Shivakumar) Jodo Yatra?” the ruling get together’s state unit quipped on Twitter.
Congress leaders, nonetheless, mentioned the pictures from the yatra have been an encouraging signal. A Congress MLA, who requested anonymity, mentioned the emphasis on get together unity was important as fissures between the 2 senior state leaders had crept up usually.
“Just lately, Shivakumar was at loggerheads with veteran chief RS Deshpande over mobilising 5,000 individuals from his constituency. Deshpande, who’s recognized with the Siddaramaiah camp, was subsequently not included within the panels arrange by the Congress to arrange for the yatra,” the MLA mentioned.
On Friday, each Shivakumar and Deshpande have been seated subsequent to one another. This, based on the MLA, goes on to indicate that the decision for unity is being heeded at some degree. “Additionally it is made clear to the 2 camps that such bickering, if not nipped within the bud, will value the get together expensive.”
Based on the get together, round 20,000 persons are estimated to have participated on the primary day of the occasion. KPCC working president Salim Ahmed mentioned round 10,000 individuals participated within the first half of the march from Gundlupet to Panjanahalli, which is round 4 km from the place to begin. “Each Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar walked the space and can accompany him (Rahul) within the second half of the march in the direction of Begur,” he mentioned.
Most of those that walked with the previous Congress president have been from neighbouring constituencies. A number of arrived with the only goal of catching a glimpse of the Congress chief from up shut. The a lot debated and controversial “PayCM” marketing campaign additionally featured on the march as a bunch of activists from the Nationwide College students’ Union of India (NSUI), the scholars’ wing of the Congress, wore T-shirts with a QR code picture of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
NSUI state vice-president Jayander Rajput mentioned the marketing campaign was a part of the march because the organisation needed to spotlight “corruption” in awarding scholarships and work associated to academic establishments. “Via this Bharat Jodo Yatra, we’re creating consciousness among the many youth about rampant corruption within the state,” he mentioned.
Yatra objectives
Within the Karnataka part of the yatra — one of many longest within the itinerary at 21 days and 511 kilometres — Rahul Gandhi will look to galvanise help and construct bridges for the faction-ridden state unit earlier than the polls subsequent yr.
The route of the march additionally hints that the get together’s goal is to revive help within the Vokkaliga heartland of the Previous Mysore area the place the get together carried out under expectations within the 2018 Meeting polls. The constituency of Gundlupet was a Congress stronghold earlier than the BJP made inroads and received it in 2018. The yatra will then transfer in the direction of Nanjangud, the place the get together suffered an identical destiny within the final elections. Mandya, Tumakuru, and Chitradurga districts, the place the grand previous get together aspires to revive its prospects after struggling badly in 2018, are additionally on the deliberate route.
Rahul, along with his interactions and conferences, can also be anticipated to succeed in out to a number of demographic teams, tacitly looking for their help. Distinguished mutts of south Karnataka, which wield nice affect amongst Lingayats and Vokkaligas, among the many two most electorally essential communities in Karnataka, are additionally on the radar in the course of the 21-day march. Whereas a go to to the highly effective Lingayat mutt of Suttur is probably going when Congress leaders take a two-day break to take part within the well-known Mysuru Dasara competition, Rahul is anticipated to remain on the Adichunchangari mutt in Nagamangala taluk, a mutt patronised by Vokkaligas.