DKS faces a knotty problem, appeals supporters to bless daughter from their homes
BENGALURU: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president DK Shivakumar is facing a peculiar problem. It is not ticket aspirants who are beseeching him but his supporters who want to attend his daughter’s wedding on Sunday. Two videos have gone viral, though not directly linked. One video clip shows Shivakumar appealing to his supporters to restrain themselves while the other shows party leader and former CM Siddaramaiah frowning on ostentatious weddings.
The wedding of Shivakumar’s daughter Aishwarya to Amartya, son of CCD founder (late) V G Siddhartha and grandson of former CM SM Krishna (BJP), is on Sunday at a private hotel in Bengaluru. There has been such an unprecedented demand from his supporters wanting to attend the wedding that Shivkumar sent a video appeal to them. In the video, he is seen emotionally appealing to them not to be offended as he is not able to invite everybody. He urges them to bless his daughter and son-in-law from their homes.
The biggest concern during these Covid times is ensuring security, people wear masks and maintain social distance if the wedding party has to contend with gatecrashers. For the Sangeet, there were over 800 guests although only 400 were invited. Security had been a major concern for the organizers. In contrast, the other video, which is old but has gone viral now, shows Siddaramaiah saying all his family weddings were performed in his village Siddaramanahundi in Mysuru minus all the pomp and show.
Meanwhile, those scheduled to attend the wedding are senior Congress leaders from Delhi --K C Venugopal, Digvijay Singh and opposition leader in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge. There is no clarity if former party president Rahul Gandhi or sister Priyanka Gandhi will attend. Sources said acting president Sonia Gandhi will not attend. Siddaramaiah has confirmed participation and will fly to Davangere soon after the wedding.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and a large number of ministers from his cabinet will be also attending the wedding. Shivakumar has limited the invites to about 800 for the wedding and about 1,400 for the reception on February 17. Amartya has been looking after the Cafe Coffee Day business after the demise of his father Siddharta and Aishwarya has been looking after Global Academy of Technology, an engineering institution.