JDS to launch ‘Janata Jaladhare’ yatra on Jan 26

Bengaluru: With an eye on the 2023 Assembly polls, H D Deve Gowda-led JD(S) on Friday announced its plan to launch ‘Janata Jaladhare’ yatra, on January 26, for effective use of the state’s water sources.

Speaking to media persons on Friday, former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy said that the Yatra will be launched on Republic Day and continue till the 2023 polls, covering 51 places along the banks of rivers in Karnataka.

Kumaraswamy said that though the campaign is likely to be launched on January 26, the party is willing to defer the campaign for a month amid the surge in Covid cases in the state.

The JDS campaign comes at a time when Congress too has launched a padayatra, from Jan 9-19, demanding implementation of the Mekedatu drinking water project. Kumaraswamy however termed the Mekedatu Padayatra a “gimmick adding that it will hurt the state’s stand in the Supreme Court when the case (on Mekedatu) is heard.

Kumaraswamy said that 2022 will be dedicated to strengthen JD (S) as a political organisation. The party intends to inform people about the injustice being meted out by the Centre to the State’s water resource needs,” he added.