KJP to make garbage crisis its poll plank in Bangalore

Party to launch ward-level agitations to expose govt

Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) is set to make the garbage imbroglio in Bangalore its election plank to take on the BJP in constituencies coming under Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits in the run-up to the Assembly polls.

The KJP, whose support base, at present, is restricted to certain pockets in the State, has been devising a strategy to strike a chord with urban voters, especially in Bangalore, which sends 28 members to the Assembly.

At a convention of party workers from Bangalore Assembly constituencies on Sunday, KJP President B S Yeddyurappa said the party will launch ward-level agitations to expose the “failure” of the State government and the BBMP in tackling the garbage issue.

“In the last one and half years, the image of Bangalore has taken a beating. The uncleared garbage in the city has hit the headlines worldwide. The State government should be ashamed for having failed to resolve the issue,” Yeddyurappa said.

Yeddyurappa said he would mobilise his party workers to stage protests near locations where garbage has not been lifted by the civic authorities. “Bangalore has now come next to New Delhi in being the most unsafe city”, the former chief minister claimed.

Yeddyurappa said people should compare the progress made by Bangalore during his tenure (May 2008-June 2010) to that during the last one and half years.

At the convention, Yeddyurappa inducted several local leaders of Bangalore into his party. However, in sharp contrast to the December 9 Haveri convention, none of the MLAs loyal to Yeddyurappa, or even a corporator, shared the dais with Yeddyurappa on Sunday.

The KJP leader said he would launch an indefinite dharna at Freedom Park, if the government fails to release funds earmarked to implement various schemes initiated by him during his tenure as chief minister.

He said he would, as planned, go ahead with the Vidhana Soudha chalo agitation on December 26 in protest against the “failure” of the government to release funds for implementation of welfare scheme like Bhayalakshmi and old age pension.

BJP meeting

In a bid to counter the KJP’s move,  the BJP will hold a meeting of party workers of Bangalore district on Monday.

Deputy Chief Minister and in-charge minister of Bangalore district R Ashoka and BJP national general secretary Ananth Kumar will attend the meeting.