BJP declared that JD(S) would be party to a joint padayatra from Bengaluru to Mysuru to demand Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's resignation over corruption charges.
It will be inaugurated by JD(S) Karnataka president H.D. Kumaraswamy and Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, and former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa.
The announcement was made at a press conference here, led by Karnataka in-charge Radhamohan Das, state BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra, and Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi.
Vijayendra confirmed that both BJP and JD(S) had buried their differences and the agitation would be carried out jointly, taking the matter to its logical end. The padayatra will commence from Bengaluru at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, in which MPs, MLAs, and party workers of both the parties would participate.
Radhamohan Das accused the Karnataka government of involvement in a Rs 4,000 crore scam and misappropriation of funds meant for Dalits in the Valmiki Tribal Welfare Board case.
Saying that both the BJP and the JD(S) are serious about the padayatra, Das said regional leaders would lead the protest. He clarified that though there were objections from Kumaraswamy in the past over the involvement of BJP General Secretary Preetham Gowda, the BJP looks at organizational interests and will not allow personal differences to come in the way.
He said that for further details about how their differences were ironed out, Kumaraswamy could be approached. No national leaders are likely to take part and the protest would be led by state-level leaders.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Saturday that the padayatra would be held on August 3 and all issues that cropped up between BJP and JD(S) had been sorted out. Leaders of both the parties would participate in the padayatra, he stressed.
Earlier, Joshi, Vijayendra and Das had met Kumaraswamy to iron out differences and sought his support for the padayatra. However, Kumaraswamy had expressed his objection earlier over the inclusion of former MLA Preetham Gowda in the march, saying that it was unacceptable to him as Gowda is an accused in a controversial case.
It was said that Gowda was distributing pen drives regarding a sex video case involving Kumaraswamy's nephew, Prajwal Revanna, who is currently jailed. Taking umbrage over the move to invite Gowda, Kumaraswamy wondered how he could share a platform with a man who, according to his accusations, had "dented" his family's reputation.
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