30 party workers arrested in Mandya

The BJP-supported Karnataka bandh called to demand a complete crop loan waiver evoked a poor response in Mandya and Ramanagaram districts on Monday.

Nearly 30 party workers were arrested after they tried to block traffic on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway in Mandya town. However, they were released later.

The KSRTC and private vehicles plied as usual across the district. Educational institutions, government offices, industries and business establishments remained open.

According to reports, the bandh call evoked a poor response across Ramanagaram district too. The BJP workers staged demonstrations at the taluk headquarters, visited commercial areas and requested shopkeepers to support the bandh. But, the response to their requests was poor.

The BJP has no base in Mandya and Ramanagaram district. While the JD(S) won all the seven Assembly seats in Mandya district, it won three of the four seats in Ramanagaram district. The Congress won the Kanakapura Assembly segment from where former Minister D.K. Shivakumar has been re-elected.