The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : I owe the post to people of the State, says Ambareesh

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Tuesday, Nov 07, 2006
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

I owe the post to people of the State, says Ambareesh

Staff Reporter

`Rebel star' given a rousing welcome in Bangalore

STAR SHOW: Balagangadharanatha Swamiji of Adichunchanagiri Math inaugurating the public meeting and felicitation function for Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting M.H. Ambareesh at Palace Grounds in Bangalore on Monday. KPCC president M . Mallikarjun Kharge (left) and Union Ministers M.V. Rajasekharan and K.H. Muniyappa (right) are with him. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: Rain and the delay in the arrival of their idol Ambareesh at the venue of the felicitation function did not deter the fans of the "rebel star" from celebrating at the Palace Grounds here on Monday.

Arriving to a thunderous welcome from thousands of his fans, M.H. Ambareesh, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, promised the people that he would everything in his power to fly the flag of Karnataka high in the Indian sky.

"I will not allow even a single black mark to sully my name or that of my party, and most of all, the love and faith of all my fans," he said.

Frequently chiding enthusiastic fans who whistled and shouted slogans interrupting his speech, Mr. Ambareesh said he was as eager to be with "my own people" as they were.

"I have received unconditional love and affection from all of you from the day I entered Kannada cinema as a villain in Nagarahavu, and then went on to change from Amarnath to Ambareesh, the hero," he said.

Mr. Ambareesh, grandson of the legendary violin maestro T. Chowdaiah, was named Amarnath.

After playing villain in a few films, he became a hero in the film Amarnath.

Just as he had strayed into films, his foray into politics too was unplanned, Mr. Ambareesh said.

Today, as Union Minister, he had not only the people to thank, but also each and every Congress leader who felt his elevation would strengthen and energise the Congress in the State.

Earlier, Karnataka Pradesh Congress president M. Mallikarjun Kharge said the party had indeed become energised by the induction of Mr. Ambareesh into the Union Council of Ministers. The Janata Dal (S) and the Bharatiya Janata Party, running a coalition Government in the State, had become jittery with this development, and the Janata Dal (S) president and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda was unable to hide his fears.

"That is why he is taking jibes at the Congress," he said.

The former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah; Union Minister of State for Road Transport, Shipping and Highways K.H. Muniyappa, Union Minister of State for Planning M.V. Rajasekharan; the former Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh and party leaders C.K. Jaffer Sharief, D.B. Chandre Gowda and D.K. Shivakumar were the others who spoke in the same vein, calling upon the party's rank and file to celebrate Mr. Ambareesh's new status, and to work for the party's return to power in the State.

Balagangadharanatha Swamiji of Adichunchanagiri Math, and actor Vishnuvardhan were the special invitees.

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