YADGIR: Former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa on Sunday gave a demonstration on how intoxicating the desire for power can be.
The former CM who arrived at Yanagundi in Sedam taluk near Yadgir, was made to wait for nearly five hours in the hot sun from seven in the morning to meet the Maate Manikeshwari, believed to be a saint who has been going without food or water for decades together. It is also believed that her predictions will come true.
The Maate Manikeshwari made an appearance finally at 11 am, but Yeddyurappa was handed a snub as she preferred to give darshan to the public.
Yeddyurappa, though, was allowed to make a request to the Maate Manikeshwari in public through a microphone as she was standing at a distance from him. He then asked, in front of thousands of people, whether he has the Yoga (blessing) to become the chief minister again and sought her blessings.
To this, the former CM was told — in Telugu, which was later translated to him in Kannada — that he has the Raja Yoga (prosperity of kings), but has to bide his time. “You must prevail upon the government to stop animal slaughter,” the Maathe Manikeshwari added. Yeddyurappa said he had enforced ban on cow slaughter when he was CM, and added that he would urge the government to do so.
After about 15 minutes, the Maathe Manikeshwari returned to her cave.
Yeddyurappa had received a similar response from other saints whom he had recently called upon.
A few weeks ago, Yeddyurappa had visited shrines in Kerala where he had offered special poojas to propitiate god for a return to power. He had also sought a prediction on his fortunes at the Kodi Mutt. Also, this isn’t Yeddyurappa’s first visit to the shrine; he had visited here when he was CM; however, his waits then were shorter.
Interestingly, even Dharm Singh while as chief minister had called on the saint and was made to wait for four hours for darshan.
Ministers Revu Naik Belamagi and Raju Gowda, DGP Shankar Bidari and HKADB president Amarnath Patil among others accompanied the former chief minister to the shrine.
for BSY, War
Widows Can Wait by Aknisree Karthik
While the widows of war veterans eagerly awaited the arrival of B S Yeddyurappa at the War Memorial Park for a function here on Sunday, the former chief minister deemed it important to attend another event in order to garner support. The former CM was slated to attend Jai Jawan-Mera Bharat Mahan, a musical evening organised by One India, an NGO, at the War Memorial Park on Raj Bhavan Road at 5 pm to pay tribute to war veterans. War widows were to be provided financial support. However, he attended a function organised by the Bangalore Tamil Sangam who felicitated him. Sources said that Yeddyurappa spoke on how he inaugurated the controversy-tainted Thiruvalluvar statue during his tenure. The former CM, however, did make a belated entry to the musical evening.