Anxiety gripped the gathering, including Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, when crackers burst to welcome him caused a minor fire on the tiled roof of two houses during his campaign visit to N R Pura for the coming Udupi Chikmagalur Lok Sabha byelection.
Gowda and other leaders arrived at N R Pura, about 95 km from here, to address an election rally when BJP workers burst crackers and in the process a fire broke out on the tiled roof of the two houses, police said.
However, BJP workers mangaged to put out the fire and none was injured in the incident. Gowda later addressed the rally.