Illegal mining: All parties united in seeking divine intervention

When otherwise loyal supporters leave your side, the Almighty is your last resort. That’s what the high drama in the state over the last few days seems to have taught members of different political parties.

Family members and supporters of chief minister BS Yeddyurappa invoked Gogalamma, village goddess considered powerful in Bookanakere village of KR Pet in Mandya district, seeking her blessings as Yeddyurappa faces tough times.

Many members of Yeddyurappa’s family gathered at the temple of the goddess, where Yeddyurappa too is a regular visitor. “We pray that the goddess might come to the aid of our leader at this time. We are sure he will emerge a man of power in two or three days,” said Shankarappa K, a villager.

It may be noted that on Thursday, BJP leader SN Krishnaiah Shetty performed a two-hour-long special puja at the Seven Ministers’ Quarters on Sankey Road. Shetty’s supporters said it was an effort to save Yeddyurappa’s chief ministership. There were 135 priests at the puja, making a special offering to Lord Shiva called Shatharudrabhisheka.

Congressmen too performed pujas at temples in Bangalore. Many of them broke coconuts in a bid to save the state from the corruption that the BJP government was found steeped in. “The face of the BJP is evil, it is haunting the state. Since the leader of BJP believes in such rituals, we too are invoking god to teach him a lesson,” said Dhananjaya K, a Congress leader.