Bangalore, Nov 1 (Inditop.com) A bitter feud in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), close on the heels of the flood havoc in the state’s northern parts, made Karnataka’s formation day celebrations Sunday a listless affair.
States in India were reorganized on the basis of language Nov 1, 1956. It is celebrated as ‘Rajyothsava’ in Karnataka, usually with procession of goddess Bhuvaneshwari, the presiding diety of the state, flag hoisting and song and dance programmes.
Leading personalities in various fields are also honoured with Rajyothsava award.
However the BJP government decided against extravagant celebrations following the Sep 30-Oct 2 rain and floods in north Karnataka which claimed the lives of over 220 people, damaged over 500,000 houses and left over a million homeless.
It also decided to do away with Rajyothsava awards for this year.
The low-key celebrations, like hoisting the yellow and red Kannada flag and garlanding of portrait of Bhuvaneshwari at Bangalore and other towns across the state, became a drab event in view of the ongoing turmoil in the ruling party.
The focus was more on the national capital Delhi where BJP central leaders were struggling to end the crisis which erupted with a group of ministers and legislators demanding removal of B.S. Yeddyurappa as chief minister.
Yeddyurappa took over as BJP’s first chief minister in Karnataka and south India in May 2008.
Tourism Minister G. Janardhana Reddy and his elder brother and Revenue Minister G. Karunakara Reddy are leading the revolt against Yeddyurappa accusing him of dictatorial functioning and attempts to sideline them in party and administrative affairs.
The Reddy brothers are rich iron ore miners.
State Home Minister V.S. Acharya and assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar, who the dissidents are projecting as alternative to Yeddyurappa, were in Delhi Sunday for talks with central leaders.
At the Rajyothsava function in Bangalore, Yeddyurappa said he deeply regrets that there was turmoil in his government when the need was united effort to rebuild the vast areas devastated by floods.
Janardhana Reddy, speaking at the function in Bellary, about 400 km from here, said without mentioning Yeddyurappa by name that “people will not be deceived by crocodile tears being shed by some leaders over the flood havoc”.
A highlight of the day was release of a Rs.5 stamp of late Kannada thespian and Dada Saheb Phake awardeee Rajkumar by Yeddyurappa in Bangalore.
