from Daijiworld's special correspondent (MB)

Mangalore, Apr 1: His predecessor Bellippady Ramanath Rai, as Bantwal MLA and later a minister in the Congress government in the state a few years ago, had made a 'name'  for being unpunctual at every meeting and function.

Bailumeginamane Nagaraj Shetty, who won the Bantwal assembly seat on BJP ticket by defeating Rai and who later became minister when JD(S) and BJP tied up for a coalition in the state, appears to be his worthy successor on that score.

Shetty has already gone on record by arriving at every function late and, according to colleagues in the media, had taken for granted his ministerial position which, he might have thought, entitled him to the privilege of being waited upon.

Media colleagues also recalled the umpteen number of times when Shetty had made them wait for durations as long as beyond an hour or two. Their patience had been tested enough number of times. It had in fact reached the breaking point.

The right spark for the ignition was provided by the minister on Sunday morning when he was to meet them near the Tumbe vented dam in Bantwal taluk, which provides drinking water to the city.

Taken for a ride

As scheduled the mediapersons were taken from the city at 8-30 am by the information department vehicle. After reaching the venue and waiting until 10-30 am, there was no sign of the minister, almost making to wonder if it was not an April First joke. They realized enough was enough and decided to return to the city at once. But the official vehicle could not bring them back until the minister's programme was completed.

Congress leader Bondala Jagannath Shetty arranged his vehicle for the mediapersons so that they could visit Bantwal to have a look at the preparations for a 'Krishi Mela' to be held there and return to the city to attend to their daily routine in time.

The minister arrived at the dam site much later, only to find the mediapersons having left the spot. It is the second time in recent times that the media had boycotted the minister for arriving late at a function.