BANGALORE: The felicitation programme organised for former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa by the party workers at Hubli on Sunday was not aimed at exhibiting the strength of Yeddyurappa’s supporters, PWD Minister C M Udasi said.
He said here on Tuesday that the programme, for which Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda and state party unit president K S Eshwarappa had also been invited, was only a token of gratitude by the party workers to Yeddyurappa for his yeoman contribution for the overall development of the state.
Dismissing that the programme was arranged to send a strong signal that Yeddyurappa’s strength should not be ignored by the party higher-ups, the minister stated that “everybody knows what is the strength of our Yeddyurappa and there is no need to demonstrate it”.
Defending the plans for the programme, Udasi said, “It was arranged after Yeddyurappa was persuaded to participate in it.”
He said a large number of Yeddyurappa’s supporters and well-wishers are expected to attend. Sunday’s function is the first major public event organised for Yeddyurappa after he quit office.