MUMBAI: Top political and business leaders, bureaucrats, technocrats, celebrities and influencers are set to come together at the India Today Group's Karnataka Panchayat this weekend in Bengaluru to discuss the state's political, social and economic climate ahead of the May 12assembly elections.
The Panchayat, scheduled for March 31, 2018 at the city's Hotel Lalit Ashok, will have the newsmakers and decision-makers discuss a range of issues confronting the people of Karnataka.
WHO WILL WIN KARNATAKA?
The March 31 conclave will set the agenda for the upcoming elections that are likely to have a far-reaching impact on national politics.
Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, and party colleague Veerappa Moily will open the Panchayat with his participation in the session titled "Will Congress Retain Karnataka?"
The day-long event will wrap up with a session focusing on the BJP's prospects, "Will Lotus Bloom in Karnataka". Party chief Amit Shah will deliver his concluding address after union minister Ananth Kumar's.
THE BIG KARNATAKA FACE-OFF
The Panchayat will bring political opposites face-to-face.
Union minister Prakash Javadekar and Congress leader Sachin Pilot and the BJP's Sambit Patra versus the Congress' Raj Babbar will debate bottom-line issues as India watches the high-stakes race for the May 12 vote.
The Congress' Jitin Prasada and union minister Babul Supriyo will also be participating in the Panchayat face-offs.
CULTURE AND IDENTITY POLITICS
With regional identity gaining prominence in the Karnataka campaign, speakers from a variety of sectors will exchange views in sessions titled "The Culture Wars" and "The Battle For Karnataka Pride: Whose Identity Is It Anyway".
Participants will include actors Prakash Raj and Prakash Belawadi, union minister Babul Supriyo and the Congress' Khushbu Sundar among others.
FUTURE OF INDIA'S IT HUB
The Panchayat will discuss the future of IT industry in Bengaluru in the light of massive job losses in the technology sector.
State minister Priyank Kharge, MP Pratap Simha and Manipal Global Education chairman T.V. Mohandas Pai will present their views in this session.
LAW AND ORDER/ENVIRONMENT
Security and environment experts will speak about challenges emanating from rapid urbanization of the southern state.
IPS officer D. Roopa, former DG and IGP Shankar Bidari and Global Concerns India director Brinda Adige have confirmed participation in a session on law-and-order issues in Karnataka.
Urban expert R.K. Misra, Bengaluru mayor R. Sampath Raj and MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar will be among the speakers in a session titled "Garden City To Garbage City".
