Finding fault with “Siddaramothsava”, the celebration planned for former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s 75 th birthday, former Minister and BJP MLC A.H. Vishwanath on Monday said the Congress leaders shouuld instead celebrate the “festival of Congress”.
Speaking to reporters at K.R. Hospital, where he handed over an ambulance that had been gifted to him on the occasion of his birthday, Mr. Vishwanath referred to the praises showered on Mr. Siddaramaiah during the release of a book on the former Chief Minister’s administration in Mysuru on Saturday and lamented that there was nobody who was commending the Congress party at the function.
All the participants of the programme were only eulogising Mr Siddaramaiah, he said while adding that Mr. Siddaramaiah too failed to mention the Congress party’s name. “Instead of Siddaramothsava, they should celebrate the festival of Congress. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and former Chief D. Devaraj Urs should be remembered”, he said.
Referring to Mr. Siddaramaiah’s oft-repeated claim on launching Anna Bhagya programme, Mr. Vishwanath said the the Bisi Oota scheme introduced when he was the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education during the tenure of former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna ensured mid-day meals to 85 lakh school children. The Yashaswini health scheme introduced during the regime was wound up by the Siddaramaiah government, he lamented. “Personality worship should not be allowed in Congress party”, he said.
However, when his attention was drawn to the presence of his son and former Congress member of Mysuru Zilla Panchayat Amit Devarahatti at a meeting held in Mysuru on Sunday to mobilise people for Siddaramothsava in Davangere on August 3, Mr. Vishwanath said his son was 42 years old, who had not only served as member of the Zilla Panchayat, but was also a Director of the DCC Bank. He said his son was free to take his own independent political decisions.
During the meeting held in Mysuru on Sunday, Mr. Devarahatti not only recalled Mr. Siddaramaiah’s role in him getting a ticket from the Congress party to contest the Zilla Panchayat elections, but also the former Chief Minister’s campaign in his favour. Mr Devarahatti has also committed to making arrangements for ferrying people to “Siddaramothsava.”
Defends Yediyurappa
Defending senior BJP leader B.S. Yediyurappa’s announcement on fielding his son Vijayendra from Shikaripura Assembly segment in Shivamogga, Mr. Vishwanath said there was nothing wrong in Mr. Yediyurappa seekign a ticket for his son. He said Mr. Yediyurappa was responsible for bringing BJP to this position in Karnataka and added that it was difficult to imagine the saffron party in Karnataka without Mr. Yediyurappa.
Even though he has announced his retirement from electoral politics, Mr. Yediyurappa should continue to remain active in politics, Mr. Vishwanath added.
