Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha leader Vatal Nagaraj has announced that pro-Kannada organisations along with regional Dalit and farmers’ organisations would form Karnataka Praja Samyukta Ranga ahead of assembly elections in the state.
The party is looking to field candidates in the upcoming elections in May. Nagaraj confirmed that discussions will be held with farmers’ and Dalit organisations to come together under one manifesto highlighting the issues plaguing the state reported The Hindu.
Nagaraj, who was an MLA from Chamarajnagar for five terms said that there was poor representation of people who could raise their voice for the cause of Kannada in the state legislative assembly, Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.
Nagaraj has been at the forefront of several farmer protests raising a number of issues including the Mahadayi water dispute, highlight the drinking water crisis faced by people in the state, and also demanding that the central government waive off farmer loans.
In the recent past, Nagraj, a habitual protester, was a part of the protests around the Cauvery and Mahadayi river water issues as the head of the Kannada Okkoota, an amalgamation of a number of regional and linguistic groups. He also heads the Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha, a political party known for its staunch pro-Kannada position.
From demanding wage hike for bus drivers to organising a bandh for justice to Karnataka in the Mahadayi water sharing issue, Nagaraj calls for protests and bandh whenever any ‘anti-Karnataka’ decision is taken. He has over the years positioned himself as the ‘saviour of Kannadiga interests’.
Most recently, he questioned the design of the Karnataka flag revealed by the state government. Speaking to TNM, Vatal Nagaraj demanded that the government answer questions as to why it had “abruptly decided to design a new state flag”. He also joined hands with environmentalists to register their protest against the Kerala government’s proposal to vacate the closure on night traffic through Bandipur Tiger Reserve.