Gowda to flag off JD(S) yatra

NT Correspondent

Fo r m e r P M a n d Janata Dal (Secular) National President H.D. Deve Gowda will flag off the ‘Janata Jaladhare’ rath yatra from Sri Chamundeshwari Temple in Ramanagar on Tuesday at 10:30 am. He will perform puja to Ganga Rathas and inaugurates the rath yatra.

Disclosing this to reporters at Bidadi on Monday, former CM and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy said Ramanagar district gave him political rebirth and for this reason the ‘Janata Jaladhare Ganga Rathas’ would start from Sri Chamundeshwari Temple. Already, 15 Janata Jaladhare kalashas have been consecrated. The water from all major rivers and subrivers from 9 4 p l a c e s in 31 districts would be col - lected. All the rathas would reach Bengaluru on May 8. The water c o l l e c t e d in the kalashas would be stored at the party office and puja would be performed daily till the Assembly elections.

Kumaraswamy said injustice has been done by the two national parties all these years as far as irrigation projects are concerned and this would be conveyed to people through the rath yatra. People would be requested to support the JD(S) to enable the party to come to power on its own so that it can complete all pending irrigation projects within a period of five years, he said.

Replying to a question, Kumaraswamy said those who left the party due to minor differences of opinion, would be welcomed back provided they accept the party’s ideology and principles. He claimed that the trend is in favour of the JD(S) in the state with people appreciating his stand on various issues which happens only in regional parties. Even if the Aam Admi Party contests in Kar nataka, t h e J D ( S ) would re - main an important party in the state. “We will go before people with issues and I am optimistic that they will accept my views”, he added.