After bullock-cart yatra, now Congress's cycle rally chokes Bengaluru traffic

Ex-CM Siddaramaiah and KPCC president DK Shivakumar spearheaded the protest. As leaders started to assemble along with their supporters, the office goers and motorists had to bear the brunt of traffic jams during peak hours.

Addressing the press, the former CM said, the BJP is insensitive to people's problems. Due to the increase in price of petrol and essential commodities, the common man is badly hit.

Siddaramaiah said the Congress party will continue to corner BJP in the Assembly with this issue.

DK Shivakumar said the party had earlier come to Assembly on bullock-cart and today on bicycles as a sign of protest against BJP's policies and increase in rates of petrol, diesel and essential commodities. Next, the party will take a padayatra to come to the Assembly.

Last week, the leaders had come in bullock-carts and as they tried to enter the Vidhana Soudha, police prevented them. A brief war of words was exchanged between Siddaramaiah and the police as cops prevented carts inside Vidhana Soudha. After the protest, only one cart was allowed.

MLAs Dinesh Gundu Rao, NA Harris, MLC Govindaraju, UB Venkatesh, ex-minister SR Patil and many others took part in the bicycle rally today.

Congress accused of engineering defection:

Meanwhile, the party is also trying to engineer defections among BJP and JD(S) leaders to bolster its position ahead of 2023 Assembly elections. In less than 10 days two JD(S) MLAs have openly said that they will join the Congress party. And yesterday, former CM BS Yediyurappa also accused KPCC president Shivakumar of trying to engineer defection among BJP leaders.