Mysuru: The District Administration celebrated the 127th birth anniversary of the architect of the Indian Constitution Dr. B.R. Ambedkar at Town Hall premises this morning by garlanding the marble statue of the leader and distributing sweets.

Deputy Commissioner K.B. Sivakumar, MCC Commissioner K.H. Jagadish, SP Amith Singh, ZP CEO P. Shivashankar, Kannada and Culture Assistant Director H. Channappa and others participated in the celebrations.

Netas turn up

Even as the countdown for Assembly elections is just 28 days away, it was the turn of the leaders of various political parties to make a beeline to Town Hall, garland the statue and address the media.

District Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, MLA M.K. Somashekar, Karnataka Exhibition Authority Chairman Siddaraju and a few other Congress leaders garlanded the statue and distributed sweets.

Addressing the media, Dr Mahadevappa said that even if he is denied a ticket, he would continue to serve the party as a loyal worker.

Later, Dr. Yathindra Siddarmaiah came with MLC Dharmasena, DCC President Dr. B.J. Vijaykumar, City President R. Murthy and others and participated in the celebrations.

Dr. Yathindra, speaking to the media, confirmed that his father and Chief Minister Siddharmaiah would be contesting from two Constituencies. “I am also confident of getting ticket to contest from Varuna. I know the Constituency well and have been working in there since the last one-and-a-half years,” he said.

Then it was the turn of former Chief Minister H.D. Kumarswamy accompanied by MLA G.T. Devegowda and others who garlanded the statue before hitting the three-day campaign trail in Chamundeshwari Constituency.

Reacting to the India Today survey regarding the 2018 elections where JD(S) is touted as the king-maker, he said, “The survey predicting more seats for Congress is going to turn topsy-turvy and our party is going to get the majority. There is so much of infighting in the Congress party among the ticket aspirants that their number will be way below 100.”

He said that BSP leader Mayawati is likely to come for canvassing to the State on behalf of JD(S) on April 25 and 26.

BJP Varuna constituency ticket aspirant B.Y. Vijayendra accompanied by leader Kautilya R. Raghu after garlanding the statue said, “I am confident of getting the ticket to contest from Varuna. Even though it is the stronghold of CM Siddharamaiah, there is hardly any development seen in the Constituency. I am confident of winning as I have received a lot of respect from the people here.”

JD(S) Chamaraja constituency nominee Prof. K.S. Rangappa, N.R. Constituency nominee Abdullah and others also garlanded the statue.

Another statue of Dr. Ambedkar inside the Town Hall premises was also decorated and a few of the leaders garlanded that statue also with the help of a crane.   

Dr. Ambedkar Jayanti was celebrated in other places including Manasagangothri where the statue in front of the Library building was garlanded.

Mammoth procession

Like every year a mammoth procession was taken out from Dr. Ambedkar Park in Ashokapuram after garlanding his statue. The processionists with a decorated vehicle carrying Dr. Ambedkar’s portrait, various folk troupes and tableau passed through Ballal Circle, Ramaswamy Circle, Chamaraja Double Road, Sayyaji Rao Road, K.R. Circle and reached the Town Hall where the new marble statue and the old statue of Dr. Ambedkar were garlanded.