Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady (EP)

Beltangady, Apr 27: AICC president Rahul Gandhi who visited Dharmastala by helicopter on Friday April 27 was accorded a warm welcome.

Even though official sources insisted that it was a private visit by the Congress chief, the visit gains political weight in the light of Karnataka elections that are due on May 12. 

D Surendra Kumar brother of Dharmadhikari Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala Dr Veerendra Heggade welcomed the national leader with a garland. Dr Veerendra Heggade too welcomed Rahul Gandhi with a garland when he visited his home.

Rahul was taken to the temple by Heggade, where he offered 'Shatarudrabhisheka Seve' to the deity. He applied vermilion to his head and received theertha prasada. He went around the temple and sought blessings.

Dr Heggade said that Rahul was cordial and this being his second visit, he even recognized some of the staff and interacted with them. "I have prayed for his long life and blessings for his leadership," he told the media.

Heggade added that Rahul has plans of replicating the Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) in his constituency in Uttar Pradesh. "I have explained to him about the Dharmasthala project, which is almost 60 percent complete," he said.

Rahul was served a sumptuous lunch in Dharmasthala on a plantain leaf. The grand vegetarian menu consisted of chapathi, paneer and peas, pulao, lentils, salad, pickle, rice, sambar, rasam, curds, pappads, sandige, banana bhaji and sweets such as holige, mango mixture and rice cake.

He then proceeded to Madikeri after his meals at Dhamasthala. Chief minister Siddaramaiah, Mallikarjuna Kharge, MLAs K Vasanth Bangera and K Abhayachandra Jain, M N Rajendra Kumar, state congress election-in-charge Venugopal, district congress committee president K Harish Kumar, Beltangady youth congress president Abhinandane Harish Kumar, Deviprasad Shetty Belapu, Sadashiva Ullal, Dharmastala grama panchayat president Chandan Kamath and others were present.