Bengaluru, Feb 27: Karnataka Chief Minister and veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa turned 78 on Thursday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of leaders greeting him.
Modi hailed Yediyurappa as a "hardworking" chief minister and wished him long life and good health, while several state leaders flocked to his residence and greeted the Lingayat strongman.
"Birthday greetings to Karnataka's hardworking CM @BSYBJP Ji. He is passionately working for the state's progress, especially on farmer welfare and rural development. I pray for his long life and good health," the Prime Minister tweeted.
A large-scale "non-partisan" birthday bash will be held here later in the evening.
The felicitation function will see Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and former chief minister S M Krishna besides Siddaramaiah of Congress and H D Kumaraswamy of JD(S) sharing the stage.
Union Ministers D V Sadananda Gowda, also a former chief minister, Pralhad Joshi and Suresh Angadi will be in attendance.
BJP National General Secretary (Organisation) B L Santosh and state party chief Nalin Kumar Kateel are among those who will be gracing the event.
While Santosh will release a felicitation volume in Kannada with 78 articles from a cross-section of people, including politicians, writers, bureaucrats, and spiritual leaders; Siddaramaiah and Kumaraswamy will unveil a coffee table book and documentary respectively.
Yediyurappa, on the eve of his birthday on Wednesday, had said whatever he has achieved is a result of the people's "blessings and faith" and requested well-wishers not to bring bouquets, flowers, shawls, sweets, turbans or any souvenirs to greet him.
The birthday function organised by "Yediyurappa Abhinandana Samiti" (Yediyurappa Felicitation Committee) is being seen in some quarters as an attempt by Yediyurappa and his loyalists to send a message to the party leadership that he was still "strong".
The BJP's current dispensation under Narendra Modi and Amit Shah has retired several senior party leaders who crossed the age of 75.
However, an exception was said to have been made in Yediyurappa's case after the BJP won 25 of 28 seats in the Lok Sabha election under his leadership.
In the 2018 elections, he spearheaded the campaign of the BJP which emerged as the single largest party but fell short of the majority mark following which Congress and JD(S) came to power stitching a post-poll pact.
However, the coalition collapsed in July last year, paving the way for return of Yediyurappa as Chief Minister for the fourth time.
Comments
Shaji, Rich people have already got their black money in white before 8th November, they have been informed before hand by Feku....no one died from rich and other political parties..
Prime Minister Sab, what is happening.... people are dying...have mercy on them....
According ruling BJP, people will have to sacrifice for ache din and this is what happening. Ruling party is not worried about the daily deaths of people becoz all of them are from poor family whereas rich people are relaxing since they got the money exchanged in advacne of the declaration. I think bjp is not feeling shame for running Govt on the dead bodies and they feel proud of these deaths telling this is a sacrifice for bright future of India. None of the people who has black money every stood in the que. BJP leaders received new currency in advance. I dont know how many more poor people will have to die before the situation becomes normal. shamelsss govt is still justifying their decision. Mukhtar Abbas is actign as if he is an agent of Devil.
Insane Modi Bhakts like Naren might be happy after reading this news.
According to Bhakta\s they are sacrificing their lives for the country.
There leaders are going for 5000 crores grand marriage function."
Naren, will you provide him 72?
Add new comment