Bengaluru, Mar 11 (IANS): Ahead of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway's inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the JD (S) has started a campaign claiming that it was a dream project of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda.

Modi will inaugurate the expressway on Sunday and will also hold a roadshow and mega public rally in Mandya district.

The district is considered as Vokkaliga heartland and the JD(S) derives its strength from the region.

The ruling BJP in the state is making all-out efforts to drive the vote bank of the region.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had visited Mandya and held a series of meetings with party leaders in this regard.

The JD(S) has released full page advertisements in newspapers in Karnataka claiming that the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway is the dream project of Deve Gowda.

"The Bengaluru-Mysuru road stretch was so treacherous that 23 students from Tamil Nadu had died in 1983 in a bus accident near Bidadi. The students were on an academic tour and the accident took place while the bus was taking a turn.

"Then PWD and Irrigation minister Deve Gowda got the four lane road constructed. Later, he appointed the expert institution to carry out Strategic Option Study for Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway," the JD(S) claims.

Deve Gowa later as the Chief Minisiter of the state in 1991 began the work for Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor. In 1995, a consortium was formed and an agreement was signed between the government of Karnataka and Massachusetts Governor of America, the party further claimed.

However, the ruling BJP has maintained that the project was implemented with the double engine government at the state and Centre.