The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Saffron surge near the seat of power

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Saturday, May 31, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Saffron surge near the seat of power

K.V. Subramanya

Thousands of BJP workers and Sangh Parivar supporters turn up for the swearing-in ceremony

— PHOTOS: BHAGYA PRAKASH K. AND K. GOPINATHAN

RIDING THE SUCCESS WAVE: (Clockwise from top left) BJP national leaders wave at the large crowd that had gathered in front of the Vidhana Soudha at the Friday’s swearing-in-ceremony. An ambulance is caught in the gridlock even as the saffron supporters thronged the most famous venue of the State capital.

BANGALORE: There was a saffron surge in Bangalore on Friday as thousands of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Sangh Parivar workers from across the State descended on the city to witness the swearing-in of the party’s first Government in Karnataka.

It was a virtual takeover by the BJP of the entire area in and around the Vidhana Soudha. There was a canopy of flags, banners, posters and buntings, all in saffron, on the roads with the visages of the Chief Minister-designate B.S. Yeddyurappa and senior BJP leaders A.B. Vajpayee, L.K. Advani, Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and H.N. Ananth Kumar at prominent points.

Sporting saffron headgears and waving BJP flags as well as the “bhagva,” the party workers, including several women, started assembling near the Vidhana Soudha since 10 a.m. although the swearing-in ceremony was scheduled at 1.50 p.m.

Supporters of Mr. Yeddyurappa and the new ministers S.N. Krishnaiah Shetty of Malur, G. Janardhana Reddy, G. Karunakara Reddy and B. Sriramulu were in huge numbers.

To have a better view of the swearing-in ceremony, some had perched atop the trees in front of the Vidhana Soudha and the compound and the railings of the High Court building.

Visible independents

Supporters of all the six independent MLAs, who have extended support to the BJP, had come in large numbers. They were holding white-colour flags with the symbol on which these candidates were elected to the Assembly.

Young supporters of Goolihatti D. Shekar, Hosadurga MLA, who has been inducted into the ministry, were sporting yellow-scarves round their neck. Huge hoardings erected by the supporters of Kolar MLA Varthur R. Prakash caught attention.

Imposing visuals

The hoardings had large a photograph of Mr. Prakash holding two tigers by their leash. “Tiger of Varthur,” was the caption for such hoardings that were seen in front of the Vidhana Soudha and near the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike office.

Several BJP supporters had to return disappointed as they could not hear Mr. Yeddyurappa and the other ministers taking the oath.

Fire crackers

Even before the swearing-in ceremony started, party workers burst firecrackers and this went on till the end.

While nothing was heard deafening noise, the din scared away hundreds of pigeons and other birds nestling in the Cubbon Park. Helium-filled saffron and green balloons kissed the sky as Mr. Yeddyurappa was taking the oath of office. Mandya MP and actor M.H. Ambareesh has apparently found a new rival in Mr. Yeddyurappa.

All these years Mr. Ambareesh alone was referred to as “Mandyada Gandu”.

But during the swearing-in ceremony of the new Chief Minister, a large contingent of BJP supporters from Mandya district kept on shouting “Mandyada Gandu Bookanakere Yeddyurappa Zindabad.”

Mr. Yeddyurappa, who has settled at Shikaripur in Shimoga district for the past four decades, was born at Bookanakere in K.R. Pet taluk in Mandya district.

His supporters from Mandya raised similar slogans even when he was sworn in for the first time in November last.

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