A different kind of politics in Karnataka was played out in this temple town when the running battle between chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and his arch-rival and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy was taken to the gods on Monday.
But devotees did not take kindly to the temple politics when they criticised both the leaders for “disrupting” darshan schedules.
A group of people belonging to a farmers organisation also shouted slogans agaisnt them.
Mr Yeddyurappa offered prayers after backing out of the temple face-off with his predecessor Kumaraswamy. The JD(S) leader said that in his “truth test” he “pledged before the God” that he stood by his allegations of corruption against the BJP leader.
Mr Yeddyurappa, who had challenged Mr Kumaraswamy to prove the allegations of corruption and nepotism against him by taking the truth test before a deity, had later retracted saying that religious leaders and BJP president Nitin Gadkari had asked him not to mix politics with religion.
After offering prayers at the temple, the chief minister said, “I did not ask anything for myself. On behalf of six crore people of the state I sought blessings of Lord Manjunatha for the prosperity of Karnataka.”
He said he had prayed for copious rains and prosperity of the state. “In the last three years, the state has been witnessing bountiful rains and prosperity with the blessings of gods. I want this to continue for another two years,” the chief minister said.
Mr Kumaraswamy, who visited the shrine later, pledged before the deity that he stood by the charges made by him against the chief minister in the last six to seven months. —PTI