KPCC President takes KSRTC bus to Chamundi Hill on third Ashada Friday

Mysore/Mysuru: Amidst preparations for former Chief Minister Siddharamaiah’s 75th birthday event, ‘Siddharamotsava’, on Aug. 3 at Davangere and supporters of KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar (DKS) planning to organise ‘Shivakumarotsava’ on the lines of ‘Siddharamotsava’ to honour the service of the KPCC President to Congress party, Shivakumar’s ardent supporters chanted slogans in support of their leader at Chamundi Hill this morning.

The supporters shouted “next CM D.K. Shivakumar” in unison when the KPCC President visited Chamundi Hill this morning on the third Ashada Friday.

DKS prayed to Goddess Chamundeshwari and had a special darshan, accompanied by his wife Usha, inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Hill Temple.

Shivakumar visited the Temple at a time when the State is witnessing an ongoing power tussle between two top leaders of the Congress — DKS and CLP leader Siddharamaiah. Both the leaders are aspiring to be the Chief Ministerial face of Congress party and shadow-boxing between the two is proving to be an impediment to the party’s revival plan.

D.K. Shivakumar (DKS) was to arrive at the Temple at 9.30 am but was delayed and he took the free KSRTC bus service to reach the Temple from the Lalitha Mahal Helipad. Shivakumar’s convoy was parked at the Helipad. From the KSRTC bus stop atop the Hill, the KPCC President walked up to the Temple amidst his cheering supporters.

While he refused to acknowledge the waiting reporters on his way to the Temple, he spoke to them while on his way back to the KSRTC bus stop.  Shivakumar was accompanied by KPCC Working President R. Dhruvanarayan, former MLAs Vasu and M.K. Somashekar.

The KPCC President downplayed ‘Siddharamotsava’ and said that it will be a party event and not an individual one. “The achievement of the Congress party when Siddharamaiah was the CM will be highlighted. He claimed that Siddharamaiah’s birthday bash will showcase the 168 pro-people schemes implemented by the Congress Government during Siddharamaiah’s tenure as the CM.

DKS reiterated that he does not encourage personality cult. “I want everyone to worship the party and not any individual. Our responsibility is to ensure that Congress is brought to power and sent to Vidhana Soudha in 2023,” he said.