Criticising the opponent harshly and apologising immediately is a rare happening in netadom. However, MLC Ayanur Manjunath did both at a presser in Shivamogga on Monday, attacking Siddu and daring him to prove that RSS was responsible for killing Mahatma Gandhi.
“If you are a macho man, prove your words. Being a lawyer, you prove that RSS was responsible for killing Gandhi immediately, otherwise apologise for your statement,” he challenged, then raged on, “Siddaramaiah, you are not an honest man. Your physical movements reminds one of a person in a circus. Your style of speech is disgusting, you are immodest...” Whether it was remorse or something else, we don’t know, but Manjunath soon after apologised, saying that Siddaramaiah had persistently addressed Modi and Yeddyurappa in the singular, forcing him to use the same tone and lingo.
Of old men and their dreams
Siddaramaiah seems to be the pet hate of poll season, with netas of all political hues attacking him. On Monday, firebrand BJP leader K S Eshwarappa mocked the former CM for dreaming of becoming the present CM. “Siddaramaiah is a drama artiste. He was expelled from JDS for this dream, and Congress too will throw him out if he dreams again of the CM’s seat. He is aged and unfit to head a government. Siddaramaiah has turned mad with this desire, and before something bad happens to him, the Congress should admit him to a hospital.’’ KSE, known to pull down the level of political discourse, said it was Siddu and his supporters who were attempting to destabilise the coalition, and BJP had no role in it. When a scribe asked him about the new BJP state chief, KSE went all diplomatic: “It is left to party high command. I am neither an aspirant of the state leadership nor the CM’s seat.” Well, if at age 70, Siddu is too old to lead, we know of another man, aged 76, who still dreams of becoming CM. But he seems to be jinxed — his first term was cut short by the mining scam report, and the second was a 55-hour non-starter!
Prayers once again for Gowda couple
This is one serious temple run. Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and wife Channamma on Monday visited yet another temple in Kaup -- the Sri Mahalingeshwara Mahaganapathi Temple, Jalancharu -- after the senior Gowda expressed interest in visiting the temple renovated at a cost of Rs 4.5 crore. Gowda is undergoing ayurvedic rejuvenation therapy at a health resort in Moolur nearby. The couple later relished the scrumptious ‘prasadam’ served to them at the temple