The indefinite agitation demanding the bifurcation of the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) to create a municipal corporation for Dharwad entered the fifth day on Tuesday even as the protesters intensified the agitation by locking several municipal offices in Dharwad.

In the protest led by members of the Dharwad Separate Corporation Protest Forum and supported by Dharwad Bar Association and Dharwad Dhwani, the protestors marched to the offices of Hubballi-Dharwad West MLA Arvind Bellad, Mayor Jyoti Patil and corporation commissioner Rudresh Gali located on the municipal corporation premises in Dharwad and raised slogans against the State government and the leaders. Then, they locked the offices as part of intensifying the protest.

Earlier, the protesters comprising people from different walks of life staged a demonstration in front of the muncipal corporation office in Dharwad. They even raised slogans such as “Bellad Hatao, Dharwad Bachao” and “Joshi Hatao” against MLA Arvind Bellad and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi who, according to them, are responsible for the delay in fulfilment of their long-pending demand.

As part of intensifying their agitation further, the forum has hinted they are thinking of appealing to the people of Dharwad not to pay property tax to the corporation until their demand is met.

Meanwhile, a delegation has reached Bengaluru to meet Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on the issue, after the Governor gave appointment to meet a delegation led by Mr. Pralhad Joshi.