BALLARI: BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra launched a scathing attack on the D.K. Shivakumar-led Congress government, accusing it of appeasement politics, neglecting farmers and Dalits and failing to address the drought situation in Karnataka.
Addressing the concluding function of the BJP’s 10-day ‘Ballari Chalo’ padayatra at the Municipal Grounds in Ballari, Vijayendra said the party’s struggle against the state government would continue until the Congress was removed from power.
He alleged that the government had curtailed the singing of Vande Mataram at official functions to appease minorities. The state government has ordered that only the first two stanzas be sung at most government programmes, with certain exceptions.
“The government has cut short Vande Mataram for minority appeasement,” Vijayendra alleged, adding that people were angry over the decision. He claimed that the Congress would face the consequences of what he described as its appeasement policies in the next elections.
Vijayendra called on farmers, Dalits and Hindus to unite and bring a government that, he said, would protect their interests. Thanking BJP leaders, local representatives, office-bearers and workers who participated in the padayatra, Vijayendra described the 10-day campaign as historic. The march covered nine Assembly constituencies from Lingasugur to Ballari, during which party leaders claimed to have interacted directly with farmers, Dalits, poor people and other sections.
He said the padayatra helped the party understand the problems people on the ground face. Vijayendra accused the Congress government of misusing funds meant for the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan. He alleged that around Rs 45,000 crore earmarked for Dalits had been diverted or misused for other purposes.
#BallariChalo #CongressFailsKarnataka pic.twitter.com/Iq5ckrwvzN
— Vijayendra Yediyurappa (@BYVijayendra) September 10, 2026
He demanded that money allegedly diverted from the Valmiki Corporation be recovered and returned. The BJP leader also accused the Congress government of failing Dalits and not creating adequate employment opportunities for young people.
The Congress had promised to fill around 2.5 lakh vacancies, but had failed to fulfil the commitment, he alleged. Vijayendra also claimed that beneficiaries under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme had not received payments for two months.
Turning his attention to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Vijayendra alleged that the government was paying more attention to projects such as the Bidadi township and airport issues than to drought, farmers, development and farm loan waivers. He said the previous BJP government under former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa had prepared a Detailed Project Report for the Navali reservoir project. Still, he accused the present government of failing to pursue it with the required seriousness. “Does the government have no concern for farmers?” he asked.
'ಬಳ್ಳಾರಿ ಚಲೋ' ಜನಾಂದೋಲನ ಪಾದಯಾತ್ರೆಗೆ ಅಭೂತಪೂರ್ವ ಜನಸಮರ್ಥನೆಯ ಸಮಾರೋಪ; ಭ್ರಷ್ಟ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ದುರಾಡಳಿತ ಕೊನೆಗೊಳಿಸುವ ನಮ್ಮ ಹೋರಾಟಕ್ಕೆ ದಿಕ್ಸೂಚಿ
ಲಿಂಗಸುಗೂರಿನಿಂದ ಆರಂಭಗೊಂಡು ಒಂಬತ್ತು ವಿಧಾನಸಭಾ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಗಳ ಮೂಲಕ ಸಾಗಿದ ಪಕ್ಷದ ನಮ್ಮ ಐತಿಹಾಸಿಕ 'ಬಳ್ಳಾರಿ ಚಲೋ' ಪಾದಯಾತ್ರೆ ಇಂದು ಬಳ್ಳಾರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅಭೂತಪೂರ್ವ, ಬೃಹತ್… pic.twitter.com/0A4NfZ6s3W
— Vijayendra Yediyurappa (@BYVijayendra) September 10, 2026
Vijayendra contrasted Yediyurappa’s political career with that of Shivakumar, saying the former had emerged from a background of struggle and implemented several development schemes. He accused Shivakumar of focusing more on business interests than governance and demanded his removal from office. The BJP state president also alleged that the Congress government had discontinued several welfare programmes introduced during the BJP’s tenure. He cited the bicycle scheme, Bhagyalakshmi bond and Kisan Samman among the programmes he claimed had been stopped.
He further alleged that gambling activities had increased in the state and claimed that even some Congress ministers had admitted that the government was yet to properly “take off”.
Vijayendra said the Congress’s proposed ‘Bharat Jodo’ campaign would not convince people, describing it as political theatre. He claimed that the public had already decided to vote the Congress government out.
On the drought situation, Vijayendra demanded that the government provide at least Rs 2,000 crore to corporations working for backward classes and take immediate steps to support affected farmers. He recalled that during Yediyurappa’s tenure, flood victims received Rs 3.5 lakh for house construction, and those in urgent need received immediate assistance of Rs 10,000.
He accused the present government of failing to provide comparable assistance to farmers affected by drought.
Vijayendra also cited Maharashtra, saying the government led by Devendra Fadnavis implemented a farm loan waiver without waiting entirely for assistance from the Centre. He warned that continued neglect of farmers could lead to protests. “No government that earns the anger of farmers can survive,” he said.
Vijayendra made it clear that the BJP’s campaign would not end with the padayatra. Though the 10-day march had ended, he said the party’s agitation against the Congress government would continue.
“Our struggle has not stopped, and it will not stop,” he said, adding that he would continue visiting different parts of Karnataka and listening to people’s grievances. He also announced that the BJP would conduct the ‘Seva Sankalpa’ programme until October 17. As part of the programme, party workers would visit households and explain various Union government schemes and programmes.
Vijayendra urged BJP workers to remain connected with the people and intensify their campaign across the state. He said the party would continue its efforts to bring the Congress government down and return to power on a platform focused on farmers, Dalits and Hindus.
