Mysuru: Mysuru District Minister G.T. Devegowda (GTD) had to face some embarrassing moments at the Dasara Executive Committee meeting that was held at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office this morning when Chamarajanagar District Minister C. Puttaranga Shetty from Congress, who is also a member of the Committee, staged a walk out alleging that the JD(S) was dominating the meeting and Dasara festivities.

As soon as the poster for the Dasara celebrations was released by GTD and Tourism Minister S.R. Mahesh, Puttaranga Shetty took objection that his photo and name were missing from the poster and the invitation.

The Dasara Executive Committee is next powerful after the Dasara High-Powered Committee that is chaired by the Chief Minister. The Executive

Committee is usually headed by Mysuru District Minister and it will have one Vice President.

For last year’s Dasara celebrations, the then District Minster Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa was the Executive Committee Chairman. Usually, the Chamarajanagar District Minister is the   Vice-President.

This year, however, S.R. Mahesh from Mysuru was appointed as the Vice-President and this irked Puttaranga Shetty.

Puttaranga Shetty openly questioned GTD as to why his name and photo were missing on the poster and the invitation and why was he not appointed as the Vice-President as per norm. He alleged that JD(S) members and Ministers were dominating the Dasara events and Congress Ministers were sidelined.

Even as GTD rose to intervene and pacify an agitated Puttaranga Shetty, the latter walked out in a huff. Later, speaking to reporters, he said that the JD(S) was neglecting its coalition partner Congress. “We are being sidelined and I will bring this to the notice of former Chief Minister Siddharamaiah who is also the Chairman of the Coalition Co-ordination Committee.

Soon after Puttaranga Shetty walked out, it was decided to have three Vice-Presidents for the Dasara Executive Committee. The Committee will be headed by GTD while S.R. Mahesh of JD(S), Puttaranga Shetty of Congress and N. Mahesh of BSP will be the Vice-Presidents. Sources said that the decision to have three Vice-Presidents was taken to avoid controversy as already Puttaranga Shetty has raised the banner of revolt.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, GTD said that for the first time, the full rehearsal of Jamboo Savari with elephants and cultural troupes will be conducted along tthe processionroute from Mysore Palace to Bannimantap instead of restricting the rehearsal to the Palace premises.

However, the wooden howdah will be used on Howdah Elephant Arjuna instead of the Golden Ambari, he said. There will be no tableaux in the rehearsal, he added.

The rehearsal will be held on Oct. 14, five days before the grand Vijayadashami celebrations. The rehearsal will be on the lines of the full dress rehearsal of the torchlight parade, which is conducted at Bannimantap Grounds on the evening of Vijayadashami that marks the end of the Dasara festivities.

“Only select cultural troupes will participate in the Vijayadashami procession and rest of the troupes will be accommodated during the rehearsal. This is done to give an opportunity to all cultural teams to showcase their talent,” GTD said.

Sub-committees and Air Show: Like last year, there will be 16 events including Flower Show, Ahara Mela, Pustaka Mela, Raitha Dasara, etc. All the sub-committees will have five members from JD(S), five from Congress and five from BJP, he said.  

The State Government has requested the Defence Ministry to hold a full-fledged air show for Dasara. State Chief Secretary has written to the Chief of the Air Staff and Air Marshal in Bengaluru. We are confident of Indian Air Force organising the show this year,” GTD said.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister N. Mahesh, MLAs L. Nagendra, B. Harshavardhan and Niranjan Kumar, Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Sankar, SP Amit Singh, City Police Commissioner Dr. A. Subramanyeswara Rao, Tourism Department Director B. Ramu, Information and Publicity Department Director N.R. Vishukumar who is also the Director of Kannada and Culture Department and others were present.

Vintage car rally on Sept. 30

A vintage car rally will be one of the main attractions during Dasara. The rally will be flagged off on Sept. 30 in Bengaluru by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy at 8 am.

Over 50 vintage cars from 1925 to 1975 will drive down to Mysuru and will arrive on the same day.

The cars will be exhibited in Mysore Palace premises and arrangements will be made at the Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel for the rallyists to stay.

The next day (Oct. 1) the cars will proceed towards Chamundi Hill and a heritage tour of city landmarks is on cards.

The team will also visit the KRS  Dam. The rallyists will stay at Windflower Resorts on Oct. 1 and will leave to Bengaluru on Oct. 2.