The smile on his face may not be as bright as it used to be because of the pestering by the BSY camp but it did not deter Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda from reiterating on his 59th birthday on Sunday that he would present the state budget on Wednesday as scheduled.
The CM who visited Siddaganga Math Seer Sri Shivakumara Swamiji in Tumkur, said that he had received the energy to present the Budget with the seer’s blessings. While talking to the Siddaganga Math seer, Mr Sadananda Gowda told Swamiji in a low tone that though he knew that ‘Power is not permanent’, he wanted the Swamiji’s blessings to serve the people. Former CM B.S. Yeddyurappa who is in the rival camp, has been a regular visitor to the math to seek the Swamiji’s blessings. It was obvious that BSY was a more favoured visitor considering the atmosphere at the math.
“I have the blessings of Dr Shivakumara Swamiji and will present the state Budget as scheduled on March 21,” the CM said. Asked about BSY supporters meeting in Bengaluru on Sunday to discuss the issue of ‘leadership change’, the CM replied that he did not know about this at all. On whether rural development minister Jagadish Shetter had been demanding the finance portfolio, the CM said the matter had not come to his notice. On Yeddyurappa’s failure to turn up for the Udupi-Chikmagalur by-election campaign, he said that he did not want to comment on it as it was a closed chapter.