Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi

Udupi, Feb 27: The 'Vaikuntha Samaradhana' of the late Dr V S Acharya was obsereved with a solemn ceremony at Shri Krishna Mutt here on Sunday February 26.

During the ceremony, chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda paid his respects to Dr Acharya and garlanded his portrait.

Addressing the media later, Sadananda Gowda who also attended the programme, showered praises on Dr Acharya and said that he was an ideal politician, one whose goodness cannot be matched.

Speaking of his personal interaction with the late minister, he said that it was Dr Acharya who guided him every step of the way, and that he was a mentor whose opinion he always sought and valued. He added that Dr Acharya was an inspiration to him and that the wisdom and values that had emanated from Dr Acharya help him in conducting day-to-day affairs with confidence.

When asked about the reported differences of opinion within the BJP and the rift between two separate camps, especially over the last few days, he wriggled out of the question stating that Dr Acharya's presence in spirit and his name is enough to diffuse all differences in the party and make the partymen work together unitedly.

He also said that Dr Acharya's presence during the upcoming Udupi bypoll would have meant a lot to BJP. However, he expresssed confidence that the people of Udupi would remember their leader and would not let the party down, and that they would pay him a 'tribute' by voting for the BJP. When the media prodded further, he said that he does not want to discuss elections any further, especially on a solemn occasion like this.

Among those present were MLA Raghupati Bhat, MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik, coastal development authority chairman Nagaraj Shetty, BJP district president Uday Kumar Shetty and others.