Traffic jam on Tumakuru Road delays Parivartan Yatra

Traffic was thrown out of gear on Tumakuru Road in view of the BJP's Nava Karnataka Parivartan Yatra on Thursday.

The gridlock has also delayed the arrival of BJP national president Amit Shah to the Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), where he is scheduled to flag off the party's 75-day poll campaign.

Over a lakh party workers from various parts of the state began arriving on motorcycles at BIEC for the launch of the Yatra.

Shah was scheduled to arrive here at 11.30, but the heavy traffic has kept him confined at the HAL Airport. He may be airlifted to the venue of the Yatra launch.

BJP leaders, however, blamed the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government for the traffic situation. "The government is blocking our workers from riding two-wheelers towards Bengaluru," Mahadevapura legislator Aravind Limbavali said. "For instance, the district administration of Mysuru is causing bottlenecks for our party workers."

Senior party leaders were greeted with scores of empty chairs at the venue. To avoid further embarrassment, the police were asked to allow people inside the venue without insisting on passes.

DH News Service