Karnataka - Gulbarga   

Gulbarga set to witness bandh, Vikas Yatra on same day

Staff Correspondent

Police to deploy forces in full strength in Gulbarga city

GULBARGA: Gulbarga city is all set to witness two events on Wednesday, including a bandh called by the district unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in protest against the alleged failure of the authorities to maintain a regular drinking water supply in the city and the Vikas Yatra of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Senior leaders of the BJP, including Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, State party president Sadananda Gowda and BJP Ministers in the State Cabinet would be participating in the yatra.

Failed attempt

An attempt by the district police to bring pressure on the CPI(M) to call off the proposed bandh in view of the Vikas Yatra was rebuffed by the CPI(M) leadership, who said that the decision to hold the bandh had been taken long ago and the party had no inkling at that time that the BJP would be organising their Vikas Yatra on the same day in the city.

Meeting

Senior officials of the district police who held a meeting with the CPI(M) leaders were told that there was no going back on the party's decision to observe the bandh as scheduled on Wednesday, as all preparations had already been made and it would send wrong signals if the bandh was cancelled at the last minute.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders have remained silent on the bandh call given by the CPI(M) and have gone ahead with preparations to hold the Vikas Yatra as scheduled on Wednesday. Posters and BJP flags have been put up all over the city, inviting more people to participate in the yatra.

Forces to be deployed

The police are not taking any chances and have decided to deploy their forces in full strength in the city to prevent any showdown between the supporters of the bandh and the Vikas Yatra.

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