Ruckus marks first day of expo

The contentious issue here was, energy minister Shobha Karandlaje inaugurating the expo, in place of industries minister Murugesh Nirani. The industries minister couldn’t make it to the programme, as he was abroad. Following this, Karnataka Exhibition Authority (KEA) chairman B P Manjunath contacted his mentor Shobha Karandlaje to perform the honour. Coincidentally, Ramdas arrived at the venue when Shobha Karandlaje was inaugurating the expo.

Allegedly miffed, Ramdas left the venue in a hurry.

Even as the minister was delivering her inaugural address, enraged BJP workers, most of them the supporters of Ramdas gathered at the second gate of the expo just adjacent to the main entrance, waiting for the convoy of minister and other VIPs. But, to their utter dismay the minister’s that included legislators too, exited from another gate at the back.

What followed next was high drama with angry workers led by BJP KR constituency wing president Somasundar barging into the chamber of KEA CEO M V Hemanth Kumar. 

Though Hemanth Kumar had to face their wrath, he found help in the sudden appearance of the chairman. The enraged party took  Manjunath to task, creating pandemonium for sometime at his chamber. Manjunath argued that he had to go ahead as he waited for Ramdas in vain. Somasundar argued that the minister was bereaved as his maternal uncle had passed away, the reason which led to the latter’s delayed arrival.

Manjunath claimed innocence about the issue, but to no avail as the BJP workers were not willing to listen.

Meanwhile, City BJP spokesperson T V Srivatsa brokered the truce thus calming down the frenzied nerves. He appealed to the workers to maintain unity and allow for the peaceful celebration of the festival, as this year’s event is opened by Pejawar mutt seer.

Speaking to media later, Manjunath said that he would lodge a complaint with both State BJP chief and also organising secretary Santosh over the incident.

Unlike previous years, the exhibition this year was not devoid of any glitches either.

Barring a few shops in the front, most of the stalls remained vacant. While few others were still nailing partitions.

Similar was the scene at amusement area too, with most of the operators still fixing the equipment.