MYSURU: At first glance, you may mistake him for none other than Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his grey hair, complexion, golden-coloured spectacle frame, white dhoti and a full-sleeved shirt with a towel on his shoulder. His striking resemblace to the CM has made this farmer from Mysuru a popular figure.Channamayi Gowda has become popular overnight, thanks to a video that went viral on social networking sites recently under the name ‘Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah..dance’. He has been popular as ‘Junior Siddaramaiah’ among his relatives and friends for the past several years.
Channamayi Gowda (55), is also from Mysuru. He is a native of Makanahalli in T Narsipur taluk in the district and is into organic farming. It was his dance for ‘Jeevana Khali botlu, kudiyok munche alladsu...allads allads alladsu...’ a peppy number from a runaway hit Kannada film ‘Chowka’ that went viral on WhatsApp and also on Facebook. Gowda was one among several farmers from each of the taluk in the district who attended a day-long workshop organised for ‘Siri Dhanya’ (millets) growers at a resort near Kodigehalli in Bengaluru on March 6.
Gowda who does not have access to social networking sites, recently came across the video shown by one of the fellow villagers. He was numb for a while, so also his wife who was worried about the consequences they may have to face in future for people mistaking him for Siddaramaiah in the video. However, it warded off soon as Gowda thought it as a blessing in disguise .