Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Feb 28: Karnataka chief minister (CM) B S Yediyurappa, celebrated his 77th birthday at a party organized here on Thursday February 27 in the company of his close ones. His political adversaries, friends, family members and fans attended the function that was held at the Palace Grounds here in full strength to wish him good health and bright future.
Roads in the city leading to the above venue were adorned with giant-sized banners with saffron background hailing Yediyurappa. The sheer number of people cheerfully heading to the venue to extend best wishes to the charismatic leader gave credence to the notion that Yediyurappa has a huge following unlike others in his party and the BJP cannot ignore this fact and that is why it has chosen to retain him even though he has crossed the maximum age limit of 75 fixed for party functionaries.
A coffee table book created by The New Indian Express containing life and achievements of Yediyurappa was released on the occasion.
Union ministers Rajnath Singh, D V Sadananda Gowda, Prahlad Joshi and Suresh Angadi, central leaders of the party including Muraleedhar Rao and B L Santhosh, Kannada writer Siddalingaiah, his cabinet colleagues and others made it a point to be a part of the historic event.
Surprisingly, former chief minister of Karnataka, leader of the opposition in the assembly and vocal critic of Yediyurappa in the assembly, Siddaramaiah, released the coffee table book on Yediyurappa. Siddaramaiah recalled his long association with Yediyurappa since the two entered the legislative assembly almost together in the eighties. He recalled that Yediyurappa rose to become chief minister due to sheer hard work and perseverance as he did not come from any politically influential family. BJP's national organizing general secretary B L Santhosh, who is often projected as a person who is in Yediyurappa's opposite camp, heaped praises on Yediyurappa, duly recalling that Yediyurappa's wife, Mythra Devi, had served him food on a number of occasions when he was a RSS Pracharak. He said that Yediyurappa and the late Ananth Kumar had built the BJP to the place of eminence it enjoys in Karnataka now.
Former chief minister, S M Krishna, recalled the days he as the chief minister had to face fiery Yediyurappa as the leader of the opposition. Defence minister Rajnath Singh, who inaugurated the birthday evening, praised Yediyurappa for his concern for farmers and sincerity towards people's welfare. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also greeted the chief minister on his birthday.
On this occasion, B L Santhosh released a book containing 78 articles penned by people from different walks of life that is in the form of felicitation to Yediyurappa. The book contains articles from politicians and spiritual leaders among others.
Senior leaders of the party K S Eshwarappa, deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi and B Sriramulu, who had personally conveyed their birthday greetings to Yediyurappa, could not attend the function.