BJP to hold day-and-night protest against price rise on April 2

BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra and party leaders at a press conference in Bengaluru on Monday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Opposition BJP is set to hold a day-and-night protest in Bengaluru on April 2 against the alleged imposition of financial burden by the Congress government on the public in the form of hike in prices of milk, power tariff, and of various services.

Announcing this at a press conference here on Monday, BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra said the protest would be held at Freedom Park in Bengaluru to bring pressure on the government to roll back the hike. All party MLAs, MLCs, former legislators, candidates who lost the Assembly elections, office-bearers, district presidents, and party workers will participate, he said.

Mr. Vijayendra said the party leaders will take a call on the day of protest on whether it should be extended. On the same day, the leaders will stage a protest in front of the Kengal Hanumanthaiah statue in Vidhana Soudha against suspension of 18 MLAs from from the Assembly. On April 5, BJP workers will stage a dharna in all district centres, taluks, and Assembly constituencies across the State against price hike, he said.

Janakrosha Yatra from April 7

The BJP will also embark on a campaign-cum-State tour called ‘Janakrosha yatra’ (public anguish tour) from Mysuru on April 7 to create public awareness on the impact of hike in prices, Mr. Vijayendra said. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi will inaugurate the yatra while he has discussed the details about the campaign with Union Ministers V. Somanna and Shobha Karandlaje, he said.

The yatra will cover the State in two phases. Each district will have a 2-3 km padayatra, followed by a public gathering addressed by BJP leaders, he explained.

JD(S) not involved?

Interestingly, the BJP has not involved its alliance partner JD(S) in the protests at the time of planning unlike earlier where the JD(S) leaders were involved from the time of conceptualisation. Sources in the BJP said that the protests had been planned independently by the BJP. It is learnt that the BJP is trying to galvanise its cadre ahead of the elections to local bodies.