The blockbuster wedding of the daughter of mining baron and former Minister G. Janardhan Reddy, which got going at the Palace Grounds on Tuesday, had the BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar among its guests.
This gains significance amidst speculation that there was an “informal direction” by the BJP to its leaders not to attend the wedding. The reasoning was that it would cause embarrassment to the party, coming as it does while people are queueing up for currency after demonetisation by the Centre in its “war against corruption”. However, sources in the State party unit said that the Central leadership had “left it to the discretion” of the leaders. There is “no diktat from the party”, they clarified.
With the main ceremony of the multi-crore wedding — held in a setting that reconstructs the “grandeur of Vijayanagar empire” — scheduled for Wednesday, there is now much curiosity as to who will and who will not attend the wedding. Congress sources claimed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister G. Parameshwara will not attend the wedding, while former Minister M.H. Ambareesh and actor Yash attended the function on Tuesday.
No traffic arrangements
Meanwhile, the police said that they have not made special security or traffic arrangements for the wedding since it is a private ceremony and the family had made its own arrangements. The Reddy family sources said that around 3,000 private security personnel are in place. They claimed that many “senior political leaders” would be attending the main event on Wednesday.
Apart from usual posse of traffic policemen, there would not be any additional personnel to manage the traffic, a senior police officer said. Since there is ample space for parking, there would not be any problem. “However depending on the situation, a decision will be taken,” a senior police officer said. “There has been no communication on VIP movement and hence we have not provided any security cover. However based on VIP movement the decision would be revised,” another officer added.
Congress sources claimed
that CM Siddaramaiah
And Home Minister
G. Parameshwara will not attend the wedding
