Mysuru: All roads led to the Maharaja’s College Grounds this morning where the Congress Government has put its full strength to highlight its achievements in the last four years after the party romped home to victory in the election that was held in May 2013.

Titled ‘Sarakari Soulabhya Vitarana Sambhrama’, the mega event had other themes too including “Kotta Maatu Ditta Sadhane”, “Janarige Manana, Janarige Namana” and the entire Government machinery was at the venue to make the event a grand success. And since Mysuru is Chief Minister Siddharamaiah’s hometown, special attention was given to ensure that the message of a “people-friendly Government” was driven home loud and clear.

In a way, it was a Government-sponsored pre-poll campaign extravaganza using public money in a State that is facing Assembly election in 2018. Insiders told Star of Mysore that the administration is spending Rs. 25 crore for the two-day promotional event in Mysuru. The Department of Information is bearing half the expenditure and the rest is borne by the respective departments.

Karnataka has been divided into four divisions and the first ‘Sarakari Soulabhya Vitarana Sambhrama’ was held at Chitradurga on May 13.

Mysuru division with Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Kodagu, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada and Hassan districts is hosting the event today and tomorrow.

HUGE CROWD

Over 25,000 people and beneficiaries arrived from Mysuru division at the college grounds this morning where more than 50 district and department stalls have been set up. Officers are expecting more people and the crowd is expected to touch one lakh in two days.

Facilities including drinking water and toilets have been set up for public convenience. Giant cut-outs and flex banners of Chief Minister Siddharamaiah, PWD and District in-Charge Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, Social Welfare Minister H. Anjaneya and Mahadevappa’s son Sunil Bose are dominating the venue.

OVER 750 KSRTC BUSES HIRED

More than 750 government buses, 500 private buses and mini-buses have been commissioned to ferry beneficiaries and their relatives from across the division.

Moreover, 10 KSRTC buses have been hired from each taluk of all the districts under the division. KSRTC authorities have, however, said that regular passenger routes have not been affected as buses have been procured from other divisions.

Parking facilities have been made at the back of the stage for VVIPs and VIPs and for other vehicles at Scouts and Guides Grounds, Maharaja Sports Grounds and along the Kukkarahalli-Saraswathipuram route.

TIGHT SECURITY

The entrance to the venue and the stalls has been secured by the Police and each visitor had to go through the metal detector before entering the event area. Separate enclosures for beneficiaries have been erected and there are separate sections for men and women.

More than 3,000 Policemen drawn from the city and other districts are manning the security.

Police have been deployed at various places around Maharaja’s College Ground. Deputy Commissioners of all the districts coming under the Mysuru Division, Zilla Panchayat CEOS, Additional Deputy Commissioners, Mayors and City Municipal Council Presidents of Congress party are overseeing the arrangements. Beneficiaries and their relatives coming from far of places like Dakshina Kannada and Udupi were brought to Hunsur, K.R. Nagar yesterday and were accommodated at various government hostels for them to attend the event today.

INAUGURATION

Chief Minister Siddharamaiah arrived at the venue at 12.30 pm and inaugurated the event at 1.15 pm. A host of dignitaries including KPCC President Dr. G. Parameshwara, Ministers U.T. Khader, M.R. Seetharam, B. Ramanath Rai, A. Manju, Pramod Madhwaraj and M. Krishnappa, CM’s son Dr. Yathindra Siddharamaiah, MLAs Vasu, M.K. Somashekar, Dr. Geetha Mahadevaprasad and Kalale Keshavamurthy, ZP President Nayeema Sultana and Mayor M.J. Ravikumar were present on the dais.

FLEX BANNERS DOMINATE CITY

Huge posters and flex banners dominated the city for the mega government event. While the Maharaja’s College and its surrounding areas had cut-outs of CM and a few of his Ministers, the outer areas including Mysuru-Mandya Road, Hunsur Road, H.D. Kote, Nanjangud, T. Narsipur and Bannur Roads had posters and cut-outs of the CM, Ministers Mahadevappa and H. Anjaneya.

Interestingly, along with the CM and Ministers, the photos of Minister Mahadevappa’s son Sunil Bose were prominent with CM’s son Dr. Yathindra Siddharamaiah’s photo finding place only in a few banners.  

TIME TO GET HIGH !

Villagers who had come for the event from far off places thought it best to down a couple of pegs before the event began and they headed straight to bars and liquor outlets in Ramaswamy Circle, Chamaraja Double Road and surrounding areas. With the event beginning beyond the scheduled time, people headed to liquor outlets and crowded before them to have their favourite drinks.

Several enterprising pushcart vendors had set up stalls in and around the venue and made fast money. Vendors were seen selling tender coconuts, cucumber snacks, cut fruits and juices, churumuri and other eatables.