After playing a ‘cat and mouse’ game with the BJP Government as to who will blink first, the Congress finally called off its Mekedatu padayatra to Bengaluru on Thursday at Ramanagaram town temporarily. Both the parties had sparred over the padayatra raising political dust in the past week.
While the Congress did not want to be seen as backing off from its announcement, the State Government was walking a fine line by merely filing FIRs without taking any action to prevent the congregation on the ground fearing a sympathy for the Congress. Eventually, it was the High Court’s observations on Wednesday that precipitated the decision.
Though the BJP had been attacking the Congress for the padayatra amid the raging pandemic, it was also under pressure to act by its own leaders as the Government was being seen as going slow on the rampant and large-scale violations of COVID-19 norms while common man was being penalised. In four days, the padayatra had covered about 70 km and another about 100 km was to have been covered.
On the other hand, Congress sources said that the party high command was increasingly worried about gathering public outrage due to the padayatra when the COVID-19 numbers were spiking.
It was particularly worried about providing a handle to BJP to attack ahead of the elections to five crucial States, sources said. “Any large spike in COVID-19 cases could be used by the Government to blame the Congress. This would leave Congress in an adverse situation nationally,” sources said.
While a section of the Congress leaders were interested in continuing the padayatra by limiting the number of participants, it was found not feasible and with the PIL coming up for hearing in court on Friday, the Congress did not want to take a chance, sources said.
The party, it is learnt, is also considered the growing number of leaders who participated in the padayatra turning positive. On Thursday, Congress leader in Rajya Sabha M. Mallikarjun Kharge announced that he had contracted the virus. Earlier, veteran leader M. Veerappa Moily and former Minister H.M. Revanna had also tested positive.
“Concerns were expressed about more contracting the virus,” sources said. Sources said that despite curtailing the padayatra, the Congress had managed to get a good response and it is expected to boost the morale of party workers in Old Mysuru region in the coming days.
“It helped galvanise workers and the party will definitely relaunch the padayatra to sustain the momentum when the pandemic comes under control,” sources said.
