JOIN US After severing his three-decade-long association with the BJP, former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa will don a new role, that of the head of a regional party, at a mega political convention in the north Karnataka town of Haveri on Sunday.
He will take over as the president of Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) from V Dhananjaya Kumar.
A large pandal has been erected on the Hallekeri Guddleppa college grounds here, where the former chief minister will formally launch his new political outfit in the presence of a huge crowd.
At least 200 chairs have been laid on the dais and, Yeddyurappa himself is not sure who and how many would eventually share the dais with him. Therefore, he has not got any invitation printed for the convention though he terms it a mega event.
About 25 LCD television sets have been placed at various locations inside the pandal to ensure the gathering a better view of the stage.
The entire town has been draped with KJP flags, banners and cut-outs. Yeddyurappa’s photo prominently figures in all the publicity materials, which depict him “as saviour of the poor, underprivileged and minorities.”
A flex board which has a photograph of him shaking hands with steel giant Lakshmi Mittal is placed at the entrance of the venue. About 100 flex boards of him have been displayed all over.
Around two lakh people from across the State are expected to take part in the rally. Haveri town, which has about 70,000 population, is likely to see a sea of humanity. The administrative machinery has imposed traffic restrictions on all thoroughfares of the town.
Seating arrangement has been made for about one lakh people. The KJP has made arrangements to ferry people from various parts of the State to the rally. People are expected to arrive in Haveri in about 20,000 buses and private vehicles. Besides, a special train has been arranged from Mysore.
As people are expected to arrive since early in the morning, arrangements have been made for serving breakfast, “upma” and “sira” (kesaribath), for two lakh people at the venue. Vegetable “pulav” and “sira” would be served to about four lakh for the lunch. As many as 400 cooks in four teams have been put on the job. About nine lakh drinking water and three lakh buttermilk sachets will be distributed to people.
That apart, cultural and entertainment programmes have been organised Saturday evening as well as Sunday morning. The intention is to ensure that people stay back till the end of the rally, which is scheduled to commence at 11 am.