JOIN USBharatiya Janata Party leader B S Yeddyurappa may not have been in the forefront of the inaugural function of the Suvarna Soudha on Thursday, but he surely stole the show.
The Lingayat strongman, who laid the foundation for the mammoth structure three years ago, declared during his interaction with the media that the Soudha would stand witness to his new political ventures, including floating a party.
Yeddyurappa was later seen hobnobbing with Congress leaders. During lunch, he was spotted with senior leaders Siddaramaiah, K H Muniyappa, S R Patil and Shamanur Shivashankarappa. Former chief ministers Dharam Singh, Veerappa Moily and Union Minister Mallikarjuna Kharge were seated separately at a different table.
The centre table at the Banquet Hall was occupied by President Pranab Mukherjee, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah and Council Chairperson D H Shankaramurthy.
Besieged by fans
After lunch, Yeddyurappa made a conspicuous exit, sending the waiting crowds into a frenzy. Aware of a number of his fans waiting outside, he stood on the footrest of his car and waved to them. Immediately, a swarm of admirers rushed towards his car, raising slogans praising him.
Caught off guard, the police used mild force to disperse the crowd. For over ten minutes, Yeddyurappa stood there basking in all the attention he was getting.
The former chief minister left the premises with a long tail of his fans chanting, “Yeddyurapppanavarige jai”.
No other leader, including those from Belgaum, drew such admiration at the event.