BENGALURU: Even as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was in his hometown Mysuru, overseeing the preparations for the launch of Gruha Lakshmi scheme, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara sought divine blessings on Sunday as the government completed 100 days.
The ruling party has planned grand celebrations on August 30 when Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi will launch the Gruha Lakshmi scheme.
Sources said Shivakumar and Parameshwara visited religious places in their own interest and for the welfare of the government. It is said that the priests performed certain rituals for the two to get the top post in the state. Shivakumar was at Kadasiddeshwara Mutt near Tiptur, while Parameshwara and his wife Kannnika Parameshwari visited Kodi Mutt in Hassan, which is popular for its political predictions. The couple visited Kadasiddeshwara Mutt sometime ago, as certain politicians believe it to be powerful.
Shivakumar, a devotee of Kadasiddeshwara Mutt, took the oath in the name of the mutt deity Gangadhara ‘Ajjaiah’ when he was sworn in as DyCM. “I feel energised whenever I visit this mutt. You must have seen what happened to those contractors who wanted me to take oath on Ajjaiah (on the 15 per cent commission allegation against him to release funds under BBMP). They took the name of Ajjaiah, but soon made a U-turn and this is the power of Ajjaiah,” he claimed.
Tiptur Congress MLA K Shadakshari wished that ‘Ajjaiah’ fulfils Shivakumar’s desire to become chief minister in the present tenure. When the priests chanted that Shivakumar become chief minister, he reacted sharply, asking them to pray just for the Congress government to complete 100 days. At Kodi Mutt, too, the priests prayed that Parameshwara become chief minister.
Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna recently stated that Parameshwara should become chief minister. It gave rise to speculation that there might be a change in guard in the government and the chief minister’s post, either after the Lok Sabha polls or after two-and-half years, a Congress leader said. But Siddaramaiah’s supporters will strongly back him to complete five years, he added.