BANGALORE: Thousands of flexes and banners wishing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on his 67th birthday have come up across the city, probably without the permission of BBMP. The civic body said it has given permission for only 200 flexes.
Many posters were seen at J C Road, Nrupatunga Road, in and around Vidhana Soudha, BBMP Office, and Banashankari temple, and in other localities such as Rajarajeshwarinagar, Rajajinagar, and Vijaynagar.
A senior BBMP official told Express that two party workers from Congress, Ramesh and Ravikumar, had applied for permission to put up 100 flexes each at Indiranagar and around Vidhana Soudha respectively. Apart from these, they have not received any application to put up flexes to wish Siddaramaiah, he said.
BBMP Commissioner M Lakshminarayana said he will instruct the officials to remove the flexes and banners erected without permission.This includes the banners wishing the CM as well.“The High court and the Upa Lokayukta have directed the BBMP to remove all illegal flexes, banners and hoardings.” However, a BBMP engineer, on condition of anonymity, said the officials and staff of BBMP are always under pressure not to remove banners with the photograph of a councillor or MLA. “So, one can imagine the pressure over banners carrying the CM’s photo,” he added.
During a recent city inspection, District In-charge Minister Ramalinga Reddy said the CM had also urged his followers and party workers not to put up any banner in his name. In fact, he had said he would not be in Bangalore on his birthday. Still, banners and flexes have come up across the city. “I shall bring this to the CM’s notice,” he said.
Lakshminaryana said BBMP is considering a fee for putting up banners. “We shall charge less for those which will be put up for a short duration and more for those which will be put up for a longer duration,” he said.
Never Believed in Celebration: CM
Bangalore: A large number of Congress leaders, friends and supporters greeted Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who turned 67 on Tuesday. KPCC President G Parameshwara, Ministers H K Patil, K J George, H Anjaneya and Baburao Chinchansur, Congress MLAs P M Narendraswamy, N Harris and others visited the Chief Minister’s official residence ‘Cauvery’ in the morning to wish him. Siddaramaiah said, “I never believe in celebrating my birthday.” The CM, who was in a hurry to go to Shikaripur to campaign added, “I have never celebrated my birthday.”