I've not come here to seek personal favour, says Yeddi after darshan at Dharmasthala

The chief minister spoke to the media after having the darshan of Lord Manjunatheshwara. He reached here by train from Bangalore early Monday morning along with several BJP MLAs and ministers.

As expected Mr Yeddyurappa stayed away from testifying before the presiding deity at Dharmasthala in his battle of attrition with his arch rival and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy and insisted, he retracted from the decision following suggestions from religious leaders including Veerendra Heggade and as per the instruction of party chief Nitin Gadkari.

“Karnataka has witnessed good rains over the last three years because of the blessings of God. The farmers in the state are also in a happy state of mind. The finances and the law and order situation is also very satisfactory, “ he said and declared that in the remaining two years he and his colleagues would work towards making Karnataka the number one state in the country.

As expected he did not take any questions from the media and shot back with a pre-deliberated sentence: “I have come here to seek God's blessings. I have decided not to speak anything related to politics at this holy place.”

The statement assumes significance in the wake of the impending visit of Kumaraswamy to the shrine and would make the former chief minister think twice before launching a personal attack against Yeddyurappa.

Yeddyurappa was accompanied by his cabinet colleagues Renukacharya, Umesh Katthi, Narayana Swamy, Bacche Gowda, V Somanna, Murugesh Nirani, C C Patil and Krishna J Palemar.

Mr Yeddyurappa later left for Kukke Subrahmanya. He will proceed to Bangalore after having the darshan of God there.

Kumaraswamy will offer prayers at Dharmasthala after the chief minister, as per the revised programme, in a short while from now.

More than 20 JD(S) MLAs, MLCs and their supporters are expected to accompnay Kumaraswamy.

Kumaraswamy will do the “satyada nivedane” (submission of truth), a ritual before the deity to say he stands by his allegations against Yeddyurappa.

While Yeddyurappa would stay in 'Sri Sann¬idhi,'a VVIP guest house, former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy along with his followers would stay at Shanthi Vana, about two km away from Dharmasthala.

JD(S) sources said Kum¬araswamy plans to place before the deity on Monday, a copy of the letter that he had written to Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade on June 19 on the entire issue.

Earlier when asked about why he (Veerendra Heggade) did not suggest the chief minister or HDK against taking truth test (just like the way many seers suggested), Heggade said: “Being a Dharmadhikari, how can I turn down their request, especially when they want to submit before the lord.”

He said: “It would be better if there is 'dharma' in politics and not vice versa.” A large contingent of police has been deployed at the site. The media, both print and electronics, had gathered in strength here to report the unfolding drama on Monday.