The Congress has launched a new statewide outreach campaign in Karnataka for their Bharat Jodo Yatra 2.0, targeting 84 Assembly constituencies in which the party was defeated in 2023 elections of Karnataka Assembly. The campaign began on September 30th and is going to be put in place for four years since Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra came to Karnataka in 2022.
The campaign has been launched from Shikaripura in Shivamogga district, which is represented by the Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra. Vijayendra was before B Y Vijayendra the father of Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa. The Congress' decision to start the programme from Shikaripura is also a signal for the local party in areas where it lost in the previous assembly election.
According to Karnataka Congress president B K Hariprasad, the campaign is being organised according to the larger theme of "Janata Jodo" and "Janata Jagruti". The party has said the programme will cover public contact, awareness and organisational activity across the identified constituencies. Based on reports on the campaign, the Congress will organise foot marches in 84 constituencies as part of its larger preparations for the 2028 assembly election.
Congress Focuses On 84 Constituencies
The 84 constituencies chosen have been chosen because Congress lost them in the Assembly polls in 2023. Now the party wants to have more of a presence in these areas before the next election cycle. The campaign is part of what state Congress leaders have called their “Mission 2028” strategy.
The proposed outreach would be to take party leaders and workers directly to voters through foot marches and public meetings. It is expected that the party will work on programmes for the identified constituencies beyond the initial launch, the party has said.
Hariprasad has also linked the campaign to Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra’s fourth anniversary. Gandhi’s first march arrived in Karnataka through Gudlupet on September 30, 2022, and covered a few districts in the state before going ahead. The new campaign is an attempt to recall that programme but to make Congress’ expansion to areas that were not part of the original route.
Shikaripura launch and Esuru connection
The launch programme also featured a reference to Esuru village, which has historical significance in Karnataka's freedom movement. Hariprasad said that the Congress chose the location to remember local freedom fighters who opposed British rule during the Quit India Movement.
The Party will use the campaign to convey public awareness to people about issues of democracy and constitutional institutions, the state party president said. These are the electoral rolls and the functioning of the Election Commission.
These figures and claims have been put forward by Congress leaders as part of their campaign. This is nothing else than party claims and not figures. Recently, the Karnataka BJP has also criticised the Congress’ Bharat Jodo 2.0 campaign and questioned its aims.
Electoral Rolls Now a Big Campaign issue
A key component of the campaign is Congress’ opposition to what it calls voter names being deleted from electoral rolls. The party will conduct awareness programs on the issue during the foot marches, Hariprasad said.
The Congress has also challenged the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The party is looking forward to using the campaign to communicate to the voters in all parts of the state it believes these issues matter.
But the BJP has also criticized it. Karnataka BJP has claimed that the information it is spreading is wrong and that it is based on a lie and Congress is taking advantage of resources, the party claimed. Such are political claims from the opposition and relate to the larger battle between the two parties.
Congress' Karnataka Strategy Prior to 2028.
Bharat Jodo Yatra 2.0 comes well before the next Karnataka Assembly election and gives Congress an opportunity to focus on constituencies that it lost in 2023. The party's approach is to go on public meetings, foot marches and local-level outreach.
The campaign also highlights how political parties in Karnataka are beginning preparations for the next Assembly election well in advance. By focusing on 84 constituencies the Congress is trying to build long-term organisational activity in areas where it didn't win in the last election.
The Shikaripura launch, the reference to Rahul Gandhi’s 2022 Karnataka march and the focus on electoral roll issues are going to be key themes for the campaign. This 84 constituency outreach will be closely watched in the state as the state moves towards 2028 Assembly election.
