Learning From Its Rival, BJP to Take Out Padayatra in Karnataka

The padayatra led by the BJP’s Hindutva leaders will be against the attack on BJP workers.

In a matter of days, the people of Karnataka will experience serious political deja vu. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka is all set to take out a massive padayatra (march) against the incumbent Congress government. The padayatra, led by the firebrand Hindutva leaders of the party, will be against attacks on members of pro-Hindutva organisations in the state.

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The idea of a padayatra is not only an old one, but one borrowed from its rival. In 2010, it was the Congress’ march that started the downfall of the then BJP government. The Congress leaders stormed the mining city of Bellary, targeting the ruling BJP on illegal mining and corruption, and it was considered one of the most successful political moves by the party in the state.

The BJP’s rally is the party’s attempt to learn from the opponent’s strategy. The attacks on BJP workers in the state and the recent arrests have been an effective poll issue in the coastal parts of Karnataka. On the back of this single issue, the BJP has created a stronghold in coastal Karnataka districts. Now, with the padayatra, the BJP hopes to make these attacks a state-wide election issue.

The Padayatra

Karnataka Suraksha Yatre – or March for Karnataka’s Security – will begin on 3 March, and will be led by prominent Hindutva leaders Ananth Kumar Hegde, Pratap Simha, Shobha Karandlaje and Naveen Kateel.

The padayatra will begin from two different locations – Kodagu district and Ankola in Uttara Kannada district. Three days later, the rally will culminate in Surathkal in Dakshina Kannada, one of the most communally sensitive regions of the state, where 28-year-old BJP worker Deepak Rao was murdered three months ago. On the last day of the rally, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is expected to address the public.

Hindutva, the BJP’s Strong Poll Issue

In his first two political rallies in Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi kept his emphasis on development. On the ground, however, the promise of development hasn’t provided the BJP with the momentum it hoped for.

Instead, it was the communal politics of the party which helped the BJP create a strong vote base in the coastal regions of Karnataka. Even the leaders within the Congress told The Quint that by projecting the deaths of its party workers, the BJP has grown its strength in the coastal areas.

With the padayatra, the BJP hopes to make these attacks an effective issue across the state. According to party leaders, the rally will raise the issues of the Congress trying to split Hindus by creating a Lingayat religion, the Congress’ attempt to bring temples under government control, and its government’s inability to act against organisations such as the Popular Front of India.

Can the BJP Repeat History?

The BJP is hoping to repeat history, like how the Congress turned the course of the elections with its massive rally in 2010. That year, Siddaramaiah along with his colleagues marched for 320 km for 16 days protesting against the mining scam and corruption in the BJP government. By the end of the rally, the Congress had managed to create a wave across the state, which eventually led to victory in the subsequent Assembly elections.

According to A Narayana, political analyst and Professor of Public Policy at Bengaluru’s Azim Premji University, the Congress had an advantage in 2010. The involvement of senior BJP leaders in the mining scam brought nationwide attention on the rally.

Although the BJP doesn’t have such a big issue in their hand, it would hope to make the ‘attack on Hindus’ a larger issue. But will it have a similar impact? It may not.

A Narayana

‘We Don’t Need to Learn from Congress’

BJP spokesperson Malavika Avinash, however, refutes that the party’s padyatara was the Congress’ idea. The BJP didn’t have to take lessons from the Congress, she told The Quint, adding that the party’s rathayatra was one of the biggest political events in the country.

“This padayatra is part of our larger campaign in the state, and during the three days in coastal Karnataka we will focus on the coordinated attacks on the Hindu karyakarthas in the state. We will have a similar padayatra in Bengaluru as well. In Bengaluru, we will raise the issue of the utter lawlessness created by the Siddaramaiah government. The arrest of the Congress MLA’s son being the best example to prove this argument,” she said.

As the elections are fast approaching in Karnataka, the BJP is expected to ramp up campaigns focusing on Hindutva issue. And the rally on 3 March will be the first step towards this change of course.