Bangalore: Ignoring demands to call off his 'pada yatra', Karnataka Chief Minister S
M Krishna continued his march for the second day on October 8 to the Cauvery basin
districts of Mandya and Mysore.
After an overnight's stay at Bidadi, Krishna set off on his 16-km trek to
Ramanagaram on October 8 morning along with enthusiastic party workers.
Opposition parties and a prominent body of farmers spearheading the Cauvery
agitation in Krishna's home district of Mandya have asked the Chief Minister to call
off the yatra, an exercise they have called a political gimmick.
Asked about the Opposition from the farmers' body, Krishna said, "they are meeting
me today". Official sources said G Madegowda, who heads the committee spearheading
the stir, is expected to meet Krishna later on October 8.
Senior ministers Mallikarjun Kharge, Kagodu Thimappa and Malka Reddy expressed their
desire to join the 'yatra" but Krishna told them to return, saying it was not
needed.
Kharge, official sources said, also discussed with Krishna the developments relating
to the Nagappa abduction crisis in the wake of the third cassette sent by forest
brigand Veerappan.
Krishna set off on his 129-km long 'pada yatra' on October 7 on a peace mission,
telling farmers all along the route that his government was ready to do anything to
safeguard their interests.
Mandya district has been badly hit by the agitation against release of Cauvery
waters to Tamil Nadu. Karnataka government has decided not to release water despite
a Supreme Court directive to provide 9,000 CUSECS daily to Tamil Nadu.
PTI
