Bengaluru, 18 July 

JD(S) leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy announced on Saturday that his party will lead a “massive” three-day padayatra against the proposed Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township near Bidadi. It will begin on 30 July at Byramangala, which has been at the forefront of farmers’ protests against the mass land acquisition, and conclude at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on 1 August. 

Nikhil said his party would stand shoulder to “shoulder with farmers” and called upon people to join. 

The BJP is yet to confirm if this would be a joint initiative, as the saffron party too announced on Friday that it would “soon” launch its own padayatra. But, BJP Legislative Council Chief Whip N Ravikumar said that there was no discord between the two parties. 

“As NDA partners, our demand is the same. We will not create any controversy over dates. Both parties are on the same page regarding the Bidadi Township issue, and a joint decision on the padayatra will be announced,” he said at the party headquarters.

The Bidadi project requires the acquisition of 9,600 acres spread across nine revenue villages and 16 non-revenue villages.