Day after heli fire scare, CM visits family temple

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who rarely visits temples, went to the Sri Siddarameshwara Swamy temple at his native place, Siddaramanahundi in Mysuru district on Sunday, a day after smoke billowing from the tail of a helicopter he had boarded at HAL Airport in Bengaluru gave him some anxious moments.

Siddaramaiah was accompanied by wife Parvati and younger son Dr S Yatindra. His elder son Rakesh was not present.

The chief minister had just taken the aarti when his wife and son reached the temple. It was the first time in the recent past that the family went on a religious sojourn.

According to sources, Siddaramaiah’s visit to his native place was scheduled at the last minute.

While Siddaramaiah drove to the village from his T K Layout residence in Mysuru, his wife and son came directly from Bengaluru, the sources said.

‘Keep reporters at bay’
Anticipating media presence, the chief minister had reportedly told the officials to keep reporters at bay.

After launching the restoration works of Lansdowne Building in Mysuru, he had reportedly told some TV reporters that it was his private visit to the native place. When Deccan Herald sought the chief minister’s reaction, he just shook his head. The chief minister’s last-minute decision to visit his native place on Sunday set the tongues wagging, especially in the wake of the fire scare in the helicopter that forced him to travel to Mysuru by road on Saturday.