Siddu, Eshwarappa and Vishwanath spring a surprise to followers

K.R. Nagar: In a rare show of bonhomie, three Kuruba community heavy-weights and known political foes — former Congress Chief Minister Siddharamaiah, BJP Minister K.S. Eshwarappa and senior BJP leader A.H. Vishwanath — shared the dais at an event to unveil the statue of Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna at Doddakoppalu village in K.R. Nagar Taluk yesterday and surprised their followers.

The crowd cheered and raised slogans as Siddharamaiah and Eshwarappa arrived in the same car while Vishwanath came earlier. The three Kuruba leaders jointly lighted the lamp to inaugurate the function. After sharing the dais, the triumvirate reminisced their decades long association and took turns to speak.

Sensing the bewilderment of the gathering, Siddharamaiah, Vishwanath and Eshwarappa said they were not enemies, but only political rivals.

Noting that he and Vishwanath have a long association since student days, Siddharamaiah said that both studied law at a private college in Mysuru, where Vishwanath was junior to him.

Recalling that he and Vishwanath together floated Kalidasa Vidyarthi Sangha, a student association, the former CM said that while he became the President, Vishwanath was appointed as the General Secretary of the Association.

Maintaining that there is no enmity between them and all rivalry was purely political, Siddharamaiah said that what matters most is human relationship, while reiterating that there was no personal enmity between them.

Speaking in a similar tone, RDPR Minister Eshwarappa recalled that he and Siddharamaiah had attended many functions and shared the dais during many Jayantis and there was nothing wrong in it. Although he had been highly critical of Siddharamaiah when he was the Chief Minister, Eshwarappa said that Siddharamaiah too often criticised him, but after slugging it out in the Assembly, they used to have tea at the Speaker’s Chamber.

Vishwanath, in his address, hailed Siddharamaiah for sanctioning funds for the development of Nandagad in Belagavi district, where Freedom Fighter Sangolli Rayanna was hanged by the British.

The crowd burst into laughter when Vishwanath said Siddharamaiah was still a non-vegetarian, while he and Eshwarappa had turned vegetarians.

Former MP Virupakshappa, former MLA M.K. Somashekar, leaders D. Ravishankar, K.C. Puttasiddashetty, K.Marigowda, Doddaswamygowda, Amith Devarahatti and others were present at the programme.