Bangalore, Oct 08: Ignoring demands to call off his padayatra, Karnataka chief minister S M Krishna continued his march for the second day today to the Cauvery basin districts of Mandya and Mysore. After an overnight's stay at Bidadi, Krishna set off on his 16-km trek to Ramanagaram this morning along with enthusiastic party workers.
Opposition parties and a prominent body of farmers spearheading the Cauvery agitation in Krishna's home district of Mandya have asked the chief minister to call off the yatra, an exercise they have termed as a 'political gimmick'.
Asked about the opposition from the farmers body, Krishna said, "They are meeting me today". Official sources said G Made Gowda, who heads the committee spearheading the stir, is expected to meet Krishna later today.
Senior ministers Mallikarjun Kharge, Kagodu Thimappa and Malka Reddy expressed their desire to join the yatra but Krishna told them to return, saying it was not needed.
Kharge, official sources said, also discussed with Krishna the developments relating to the Nagappa abduction crisis in the wake of the third cassette sent by forest brigand Veerappan.
Krishna set off on his 129-km long padayata yesterday from here on a peace mission, telling farmers all along the route that his government was ready to do anything to safeguard their interests.

Bureau Report