Sidelights of Rahul Gandhi's Janaashirvada Yatra

'Tipu glorified India's name'

Erstwhile Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan found a mention for the first time in Congress president Rahul Gandhi's speech. "Tipu Sultan, Krishnaraja Wadiyar, M Visvesvaraya and Kuvempu...they have glorified India's name," Rahul said at the beginning of his speech in Chamarajnagar. Rahul, however, had a tough time pronouncing Visvesvaraya's name. He got it somewhat right in the third attempt.  

Rahul continued to invoke 12th century social reformer Basavanna, which he has done ever since he started his Karnataka tour last month.

I've nixed the curse: CM

Chamarajanagar is considered jinxed, in that it is feared that a chief minister who visits the town will lose power. "I wanted to nix the curse. I've come here five times," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said and mocked BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa. "Yeddyurappa never came to Chamarajanagar fearing he'll lose power. He got caught taking bribe. Perhaps, he'd have remained in power if he had come here," Siddaramaiah joked.  

Krishnamurthy joins Cong

Former BJP leader A R Krishnamurthy, son of Dalit leader the late B Rachaiah, formally joined the Congress during Rahul Gandhi's rally at Chamarajanagar. In 2004, Krishnamurthy, who was then with the JD(U), had lost the Santemarahalli Assembly constituency against Congress' R Dhruvanarayan by just one vote.