BANGALORE: Birthday celebrations are one way for a public figure to exhibit political clout. Former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa called on centenarian seer of Tumkur Siddaganga Mutt Dr Shivakumara Swamiji. Yeddyurappa says the seer advised him not to quit the BJP .
Yeddy’s clout was evident at the bash thrown by supporters in Mandya district: Power minister and Yeddy favourite Shobha Karandlaje, V Somanna, Basavaraj Bommai, M P Renukacharya, MP D B Chandre Gowda and R Ashok were present to state their loyalty to their dethroned leader. Speaker after speaker extolled Yeddy’s almost mythical values, likening him to several mythological characters from the Mahabharata to Ramayana. MP Chandre Gowda dubbed Yeddyurappa as Sita facing the “test of sanctity”, Shobha called him “Philosopher Basavanna who has chalked out a programme of political awakening”. Narasimha Naik called Yeddyurappa a “tiger with the heart of a 20-year-old”. Shivamurthy Murugarajendra Swamiji of Chitradurga forewarned the former chief minister of his “enemies” from within the BJP and not outside. Supporters also presented him a silver sword. Shobha Karandlaje, while praising Yeddyurappa, warned the gathering to be careful about his quislings, “Meer Sadiqs” and “Mallappa Shettys”.
In his hometown Bookanakere, supporters prayed for his health at a special pooja at Siddalingeshwara temple, Kavileshwara and Gogalamma temples in the village for their leader to escape from all corruption charges. It was a low key affair without the usual cutouts and posters. They say, Yeddy has spent crores of rupees for development of the village. The star of the show at a blood donation camp organised by Yeddyurappa’s daughter, B Y Arunadevi was Yajnanarayana Dixit, who has donated blood as many as 90 times.