The opening day of the state legislature’s winter session on Monday was a dull affair, but it still drew media attention as it presented a vivid picture of change in fortunes of two leaders in the treasury benches.
The opening day of the state legislature’s winter session on Monday was a dull affair, but it still drew media attention as it presented a vivid picture of change in fortunes of two leaders in the treasury benches.
The man who headed the ruling party and government until recently, BS Yeddyurappa, was relegated to the last row, while his successor, DV Sadananda Gowda, who is yet to become the member of either houses of legislature, was all smiles, occupying the first seat in the front row.
But no matter where he sits, the proceedings in the assembly and the lounge outside showed Yeddyurappa still the boss. The 24-day stay in jail seems to have mellowed the former chief minister, who sat quietly in the lounge before the session, while Gowda was a busy man as he chaired strategy meetings with ministers and legislators.
Yeddyurappa was seen speaking affectionately to party colleagues. Yeddyurappa had special words of appreciation for prisons minister Narayanaswamy for taking good care of him during his jail stay. Just then, word reached Gowda that Yeddyurappa was sitting in the lounge.
The chief minister, with ministers in tow, walked up to Yeddyurappa and enquired about his health and well-being.
Gowda sought Yeddyurappa’s blessings by touching
his feet as it was his first day in the legislature as chief minister.
Other ministers imitated Gowda in showing their reverence to Yeddyurappa, who patted them on their back.
Gowda and a few ministers, including Suresh Kumar and Basavaraj Bommai, went into a huddle to discuss ways to tackle the opposition’s attack. Then, both leaders entered the assembly together. Gowda walked up to every member of the house to greet them and shook hands, while Yeddyurappa sat in the last row.
Scotching speculation about his new seating position, Yeddyurappa said: “I requested the Speaker to allot me the first seat in the last row. It was the seat allotted to former chief minister Veerendra Patil when he lost the chief minister’s post.”
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