Mysuru: Though the 83rd Kannada Sahitya Sammelana was held in city after a gap of 27 years, political issues figured prominently at the event questioning the rationale behind such a mega Literary Festival.

Though the three-day Sammelana featured seminars, poets meet, interactions and cultural programmes, the main stage at Maharaja’s College Grounds witnessed many politically oriented speeches leaving the true Kannada literary buffs disappointed and left wondering about the sanctity of such Literary Festivals with colossal expenditure.

The political issues raised by the Sammelana President during the inaugural function went on till the valedictory yesterday making room for leaders of Congress, BJP and JD(S) to voice their feelings on the dais. The genuine literary buffs left perplexed after the Sammelana whether political weightage was essential or not during Literary Festivals.