In Shikaripura, discussions on Yeddyurappa's 'fading glory'

Agencies
May 1, 2018

Shivamogga, May 1: As the Karnataka poll battle hots up, people of the state are busy talking about their favourite party candidates even as many raised doubts over the apparent "sidelining" of BJP's chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa this election.

Standing in the sweltering summer heat, 45-year-old Shantappa is waiting for a bus to Shikaripura. The unrelenting weather, however, could not stop him from discussing the upcoming state assembly elections with fellow passengers.

Wiping sweat from his forehead, he says, "It looks like our leader (Yeddyurappa) has been sidelined. He is not in his original form in this elections...I have heard he is not sharing the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in most rallies".

Fellow passenger Rudrappa, a farmer, quips that the central BJP leaders are unable to connect with the public due to the language barrier.

"The other day, one of my relatives in northern Karnataka attended a rally, but came back disappointed as he could not understand the speech in Hindi," he says.

Another passenger Keshava, a BJP supporter, interjects and says the same goes with the Congress.

He argues that Kannadigas cannot connect with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and other party central leaders.

The bus driver, who do not wish to be identified, says political rallies are simply "political gimmicks".

"People are asked to shout slogans of 'Modi Modi' and 'Rahul Rahul'. These are political gimmicks," he says.

The driver was quick to add, "Yeddyurappa, a political heavyweight that he is, knows how to win elections if given full freedom.Yeddyurappa is a mass leader. BJP chief Amit Shah has said that the party is important and not the person. That does not work in Karnataka though".

A lawyer observes that the BJP's chief ministerial candidate was not giving any befitting reply to the ruling government's charges against him.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is repeating his speech at every place, mentioning about Yeddyurappa's jail stint and the Saubhagya welfare schemes, but the BJP's CM candidate is not giving a befitting reply to him, he says.

"Probably his health is not permitting him to campaign the way he used to do earlier. Otherwise, there is no reason for him to be silent," he adds.

When asked about the "fading glory" of 75-year-old Yeddyurappa, Gurumurthy, caretaker of Shikaripura constituency, says, "He has not been sidelined at all. These are fake reports. He is in his 'full form', else he would not have undertaken the padayatra for 85 days, covering all 224 constituencies just before the election campaign.

"We got 20 days to campaign after the filing of nominations. Since he is the state party president, he had to be a part of the candidate selection process. Therefore, he could not campaign during the first one week," Gurumurthy, who is also the district BJP general secretary, says.

"Now that the election campaign has started, Yeddyurappa is touring four constituencies on a daily basis," he says.

"Also, the central party chief has told mass leaders to campaign separately in the state as less time is left to cover the major constituencies," he says.

The BJP leader also addressed the reports of Yeddyurappa not sharing stage with the prime minister or party chief Amit Shah.

"Yeddyurappa sharing stage with PM or Amit Shah is not important, winning the election is important for us," Gurumurthy says.

Yeddyurappa has not visited his constituency in last five years, still, the party workers are working hard to ensure that the Lingayat leader wins with 50,000 votes margin in the upcoming state polls, he adds.

Gurumurthy, an RSS worker from Sagar taluk, has been working as coordinator in Shikaripura for last 35 years.

Karnataka will go to polls on May 12 to elect the 224- member assembly. The results for the same will be declared on May 15.

Comments

Angle of Life
 - 
Wednesday, 2 May 2018

Downfall of BJP is very near...if you make corruption for 100 year people may forgive you but if you make division in religion and divide the country people then they will never show any mercy on you..because TRUE INDIAN ARE LOVING PEOPLE THEY DONT SEE WHICH RELIGION YOU ARE. Do good to all community people autamatically all people will start loving you...so ask vote in the name of development, safety, employment, hearth care, futur...not in the name of god, hindutva, muslim, crist, cow, caste etc i want to see my india growing strong.. i dont want to put my head down becaus of greedy communual leader

Shahir
 - 
Tuesday, 1 May 2018

Yeddy the, toothless (brainless also) Lion

Sandeep
 - 
Tuesday, 1 May 2018

Whatever he was, his age and wrong decisions were the reason for the glory fade

Danish
 - 
Tuesday, 1 May 2018

Yeddurappa = Jumla raja Jr.

Farooq
 - 
Tuesday, 1 May 2018

By stating they are for Hindus and protecting everything for Hinduism, they failed to meet their words in real. People started realising the bane of BJP rule.

Kumar
 - 
Tuesday, 1 May 2018

It's widely known truth, some BJP leaders have a prick of conscience.  They may support and justify BJP acts in public but in mind, they are not. Modi rule made Yeddy weaker

Divakar
 - 
Tuesday, 1 May 2018

Yeddy's strong era became past. He cant do much influence on Kannadigas. 

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News Network
June 24,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 24: Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah criticised the current state government rates for COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals and said that the patients must be treated free of charge in all hospitals.

"The state government has fixed rates for treating COVID-19. The current rates are shocking to the people," Siddaramaiah said.
Questioning the state government, he said, "Where can people pay these rates fixed by the government per day? Looking at these rates can be heartbreaking for the people. This raises the question of whether the government is sensitive to people's issues."

"The government must promptly announce free treatment and set up a standard treatment protocol. The government should appoint a panel of experts to continuously monitor whether treatment is being properly administered and create an environment where the public is free from anxiety," Siddaramaiah added.

Karnataka on Tuesday reported 322 fresh COVID-19 positive cases and eight deaths.
According to the state health department, the total number of positive cases has mounted to 9,721 and 150 deaths. So far, 6,004 people have been discharged. 

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News Network
April 16,2020

Madikeri, Apr 16: A man from Ketumotte in Virajpet, who was cured of COVID-19 and returned to his home, has again been admitted to the hospital, following a complaint of fever, on Wednesday noon.

The man, who voluntarily got admitted to the hospital, is being treated in the isolation ward of the Covid-19 hospital. His throat swab and blood samples have been sent for testing. The report is likely to be out by Thursday morning.

After getting discharged from the hospital on April 7, he was home quarantined. After a week, he developed fever again. The person has not moved out of his house and the people need not fear, said Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy.

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News Network
April 5,2020

New Delhi, April 5: Former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to offer a "credible scientific and rational" explanation for his candle-lighting call and said he is giving "meaningless tasks" to an already exhausted population.

The JD(S) leader questioned if the Prime Minister asked the nation to observe a candle-light vigil on the eve of foundation day of BJP.

"Has the PM slyly asked the nation to observe a candle light vigil on the eve of foundation day of BJP? April 6 being its foundation day, what else can explain the choice of date & time for this event? I challenge the PM to offer a credible scientific and rational explanation," Kumaraswamy tweeted.

"The government is yet to provide PPEs for doctors and make test kits affordable for the common man. Without telling the nation what concrete steps are being taken to combat COVID-19 menace, the prime minister is giving meaningless tasks to an already exhausted population," he tweeted.

"It is shameful to convert the national crisis into an event of self aggrandizement & it is beyond shameful to push the hidden agenda of his party in the face of global calamity. May sense prevail upon the PM," the JDS leader said in another tweet.

Amid a nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, Prime Minister Modi on Friday appealed to countrymen to light diyas and candles on April 5 at 9 pm to fight the darkness spread by the pandemic. He asked the people to turn off all the lights in their homes and stand at doors or balconies and light candles or diyas, torches or mobile flashlights for 9 minutes on April 5.

Last month, PM Modi had asked the people to come out in their balconies and clap and beat utensils to show appreciation for doctors, nurses and others helping fight coronavirus on 'Janata Curfew'.

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