Yediyurappa asks officer to reach books to student

It was an eventful day for residents of Belagavi when Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa visited the city on Thursday morning.

Villagers in Dhamane poured out their woes in front of the Chief Minister when he spoke to them.

“No officer has come to meet us till now. Today, they are coming in cars and vans because you are here,” said Lakshman Bhishte, a resident.

Nagavva Hukkeri said that they had not been able to get drinking water for four days now. “There is a scarcity of milk and vegetables too,” she said.

A young inmate won the hearts of everyone in the relief centre in Sankeshwar when she asked the Chief Minister for textbooks to study. Seema Ingali, a Commerce graduate, who is studying for Chartered Accountancy, said that she had lost all her books in the floods and requested the Chief Minister to help her.

Mr. Yediyurappa, who seemed taken aback for a moment, asked Deputy Commissioner S.B. Bommanahalli to ensure that the books reached her by Friday evening.

Union Minister Suresh Angadi, MLAs Umesh Katti, Abhay Patil, Anil Benake, Inspector-General of Police Raghavendra Suhas and others were present.

Activists of Sri Ram Sene (Konduskar Group) got into a heated argument with Mr. Benake asking him why he did not bring the Chief Minister to their followers’ houses that were badly affected by floods.

Ramakant Konduskar, leader of the group, stopped Mr. Benake from getting into the Chief Minister’s car after Mr. Yediyurappa completed his visit to two families whose houses had collapsed in Gandhi Nagar.

He accused the MLA of leading the Chief Minister only to houses of his supporters and not to the houses of sene activists who too had suffered losses.

Mr. Patil tried to pacify the activists and lead them away. But Mr. Konduskar forced the two MLA s to stay back and visit some more houses.

Mr. Yediyurappa left for Hukkeri along with the former Minister Umesh Katti. Mr. Patil and Mr. Benake joined him later.