Mekedatu padayatra: BJP to go soft on Congress

The ruling BJP in Karnataka has given enough clues on going soft with the padayatra organised by the opposition Congress demanding speedy implementation of the Mekedatu project. "There is no connection between the padayatra and implementation of Covid guidelines," stated Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J.C. Madhu Swamy on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, he further stated that, there is no connection of padayatra with north Karnataka districts of Belagavi and Balagalkot. Still the rule is put in force everywhere. However, there is no connection with Covid rule implementation and padayatra, he reiterated.

"Covid guidelines are followed everywhere. Let the Congress take up padayatra, there will be no problem for them as such," he said. State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar has challenged the government to try and stop the padayatra on the Mekedatu project on Thursday.

"Home Minister Araga Jnanendra will have to take another birth to stop this padayatra," Shivakumar said in an outburst. However, BJP seems to have changed its mind to stop padayatra after the face-off.


Restrictions are not required for certain districts in the state which are recording Covid cases in single digits, so the situation will be reviewed and decisions will be taken on January 19. The government has clamped restrictions such as night curfew and week end curfew till Jan 19, he stated.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai stated that Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are senior politicians and they will know about law and order situation and Covid guidelines.

In another major decision, the cabinet has okayed the Rs 6,000 crore project to develop Bengaluru. The government has decided to spend Rs 2,000 crore every year under the Amruth Nagarothana Project. It was also announced that a decision has been taken to increase the capacity of Hebbal flyover, the major bottleneck of International airport Road in Bengaluru. Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) has been asked to submit a detailed project report on easing traffic congestion of Tumakuru road and K.R. Pura road, which witnesses the major traffic congestion in the city.


Meanwhile, the BJP has allotted Rs 12 crore for construction of Late Kannada actor Ambareesh memorial in the premises of Kanteerava stadium in Bengaluru.

The cabinet has consented for the purchase of 300 Non-AC electronic buses at a cost of Rs 100 crore. The government has also decided to build a ropeway near Sharavathi river and construct a luxury hotel at world-famous Jog falls at a cost of Rs 116 crore in public-private partnership. -IANS