The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Somanna joins Ananth Kumar roadshow

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Saturday, Apr 18, 2009
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Somanna joins Ananth Kumar roadshow

Sharath S. Srivatsa

Curious residents line up to see leaders
Somanna’s supporters welcomed to BJP

BANGALORE: “Symbol of V. Somanna: Kamala, Kamala, Kamala,” the loudspeakers blared as a convoy of vehicles entered the narrow lanes of Maruti Nagar, off Mysore Road, drawing curious people out of their homes.

Residents, mostly women, lined up on either side of the lanes waving at the leaders and, in some places, garlanding them. The roadshow of H.N. Ananth Kumar, Bharatiya Janata Party candidate for the Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency, in the Govindarajanagar Assembly segment from where Mr. Somanna was elected as a Congress candidate, also turned out to be a platform to announce to voters Mr. Somanna’s new political colours.

“It’s just a roadshow to inform the voters of the new symbol that Somanna acquired after joining the BJP,” a shopkeeper on Mysore Road casually remarked.

“The Vrishabhavati river has to be cleansed,” Mr. Kumar, in his brief speech, told a gathering adjacent to the Gali Anjaneyaswamy temple after paying obeisance to the deity. Even as he was trying to connect with the crowd in Maruti Nagar, an area that had very limited BJP presence in the past, a few of Mr. Somanna’s supporters were welcomed into the party fold.

At a street corner, as hundreds of residents gathered to greet the leaders, Mr. Somanna requested them to vote for the BJP. “Your long-pending problem of getting khata will be sorted out soon, and the process has already commenced. Your Somanna will come back to the area again soon. If he (Somanna) has to come back, please vote for Mr. Ananth Kumar this time,” Mr. Somanna said.

Earlier, around the time when Mr. Kumar and Mr. Somanna entered the Gali Anjaneyaswamy temple, the announcer goofed up.

Attempting to enthuse party workers, most of whom are new members of the BJP, the announcer said, “Please welcome Mr. Somanna who has quit the BJP recently…,” much to the embarrassment of many leaders, who asked him to correct the mistake.

The announcer promptly corrected himself to loud cheers.

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