JOIN USB'day boy thumbs nose at Gadkari
BJP President Nitin Gadkari’s warning against groupism and casteism does not seem to have deterred the Yeddyurappa loyalists from going ahead with the felicitation programme to their leader on the occasion of his birthday on Monday.
Leaders loyal to Yeddyurappa have organised the programme under the banner Backward Classes Forum at 11.45 am. The organisers have, however, not mentioned names of Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda and State Party chief K S Eshwarappa in the invitation cards.
Sources said the function has been planned as a reply to Eshwarappa organising the ground breaking ceremony for the installation of the tallest Linga at Siddaganga Mutt recently. Eshwarappa, who is the chairman of the Linga Prathistana Committee, had not invited Yeddyurappa to the function.
By organising felicitation function by the leaders of the backward classes, wherein about 5,000 people are expected to participate, Yeddyurappa has planned to counter Eshwarappa’s move. While Yeddyurappa is a Lingayat, Eshwarappa belongs to the Kuruba community.
As per the invitation, BJP MP D B Chandre Gowda will inaugurate the function, while Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai will preside over it. Home Minister R Ashoka, Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje, Housing Minister V Somanna and BJP MP P C Mohan are the chief guests. All these leaders are close confidants of Yeddyurappa.
When contacted, former MLA Lakshminarayana, who is the honorary president of the Forum, said that though names are not included in the invitation cards, both the chief minister and the State party chief have been invited to the function.
Meanwhile, Chandre Gowda has said he will not participate in the felicitation function if it is politically motivated. If the function is only about birthday celebration, he will participate in it sitting in the front row, he told reporters after taking part in a function.
‘Good for kids below 5’
BJP Rajya Sabha member Justice Rama Jois has said birthday celebrations are good only if it is for children below five years.
Timeline
* 5.30 am: – Visit to Siddaganga mutt to seek blessings of Shivakumara Swamy
* 8 am to 12 noon: Meeting with VIPs and public
* 12 noon: Felicitation by backward classes forum
* 5 pm: Tea party to well-wishers (mostly loyalists)
* 7 pm: Dinner party to ministers, MLAs, MLCs, MPs