Yeddy visits Krishna’s house, seeks Centre’s help while Shobha writes letter
From Our Special Correpondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bangalore, Jun 28: Even as there is no love lost between Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and the state’s Congress leaders with both sides busy attacking each other, the former has surprised everybody including his own ruling BJP by throwing protocol and political differences aside by personally going to the residence of Union External Affairs Minister S M Krishna in Bangalore and appealing him to use his good offices to secure more Central help.

It may be recalled that while state Congress leaders have been severely criticising Yeddyurappa and have gone to the extent of demanding his resignation over the illegal mining issue and for creating a situation leading to Lok Ayukta Justice N Sathosh Hegde, the Chief Minister had lambasted the opposition Congress and JD(S) for not cooperating with the government and keeping off the Global Investors’ Meet or the government’s two-year celebration, Sadhana Samavesha.

Incidentally, the Chief Minister had taken the state Congress leaders to task for their opposition for the sake of opposition while senior Congress leaders and Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily or Union Labour Minister Mallikarjuna Kharge had attended the Global Investors’ Meet. While the state Congress leaders had spurned his invitation to join the all party delegation led by him to meet the Central Ministers to demand more Central assistance, the Cabinet Ministers from the state had openly supported and even joined the state’s delegation, Yeddyurappa said.

The Chief Minister took time off to visit the residence of Krishna in Sadasihavanagar along with Chief Secretary S V Ranganath and his Economic Advisor K V Raju in the evening and held closed door discussions with the state’s former Chief Minister.

Yeddyurappa is understood to have asked Krishna to use his good offices to help the state in securing more Central assistance under different schemes.  More importantly, the Chief Minister urged the External Affairs Mnister to ensure that US President Barak Obama makes it a point to visit Bangalore during his forthcmong visit to India in November as it would send out a strong message to the investors from within the country and abroad as also the entire country.

Krishna is understood to have promised to try his best to help the state in the larger interests of the people.

In another development, former Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Shobha Karandlaje, who is considered quite close to the chief minister and was forced to quit when the all powerful Bellary mining lords raised a banner of revolt against Yeddyurappa last year, wrote a letter to Krishna to ensure that pilgrims visiting Kailash and Manasa Sarovar, the most sacred pilgrim sites for Hindus, were provided better medical facilities, shelter and accommodation, drinking water, food and toilet facilities by prevailing upon the Chinese and Nepal governments.

Shobha Karandlaje, MLA from Yeshwanthpur assembly constituency, released copies of the letter to the media she had written to Krishna. She pointed out that she had recently visited Kailash and Manasa Sarovar pilgrim centres and was appalled to find that pilgrims lacked proper toilets, drinking water, tents and shelter as well as medical care not only at Manasa Sarvoar but en route also. Even the helicopter landing facilities were very bad and the airstrips lacked asphalting. The pilgrims were put to great hardships, she said.

Pointing out that Karnataka government was offering a subsidy of Rs 25,000 each to the pilgrims visiting Kailash and Manasa Sarovar, Shobha Karandlaje urged Krishna to prevail upon the Centre to grant subsidy to the Hindu pilgrims on a par with Muslims, who are given to and fro air-ticket by Air India, local travel and accommodation. ``We welcome the subsidy given to the Muslims. But Hindus also be treated similarly,” she said.

She also demanded that the Centre should take steps to regulate travel agencies, who do not extend the facilities they promise and do not even make arrangements to provide oxygen cylinders and drinking water facilities. In addition, the Indian tourists are forced to shell out US $ 800.

It is, however, not known whether Yeddyurappa supported the demand of his close confidant and former cabinet colleague when he called on Krishna at his residence.