Jubilant JD(S), Congress workers block roads around Raj Bhavan, jam traffic

JD(S) and Congress supporters converged in overwhelming numbers on Raj Bhavan to witness the swearing-in of their leaders on Wednesday afternoon.

While seating arrangements were made for 800 people, 3,000 entry passes were issued. Many tried to enter the venue without passes and tried jostling their way in, prompting the police to resort to cane them to control the situation.

Some flashed just the cover of the entry pass and walked into the venue, as police struggled to check each person owing to the large crowd. Police stopped a man claiming to be a distant relative of the chief minister and turned him away with his family pointing out did not possess the entry pass.

JD(S) MLC T A Sharavana had to jump through the barricade to enter the Raj Bhavan bypassing the crowd.

In the end, supporters settled to watch the swearing-in on three LED screens put up near the Governor’s official residence. When the oath-taking happened, they cheered and burst crackers.

As the leaders emerged from Raj Bhavan, supporters carried them on their shoulders. U T Khader spoke to reporters while remaining seated on his supporters’ shoulders.

The simultaneous celebration of supporters whose leaders made it to the cabinet and the protests by followers of those who were excluded choked the roads around the Raj Bhavan. Cadres blocked the roads from Police Thimmaiah Circle to Chalukya Circle, creating massive traffic jams at Minsk Square, on Ambedkar Veedhi, Chalukya Circle and the surrounding areas.

Many legislators were forced to walk from Police Thimmaiah Circle. Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar turned back after being caught in traffic for half an hour while Kumaraswamy’s mother Chennamma Deve Gowda, Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Dinesh Gundu Rao, the family of Sa Ra Mahesh, U T Khader and other legislators also walked after parking their cars in Cubbon Park and High Court parking lots. Cars parked on either side of the road from the Vidhana Soudha until the General Post Office also impeded the traffic flow.