After several years, Sushma gives Bellary a skip

Bellary (Karnataka), Aug 12 (PTI) India's principal
opposition party BJP leader Sushma Swaraj Friday stayed away
from a puja on the occasion of a festival organised by
controversial mining magnates and Reddy brothers who consider
her their "godmother", reflecting changed equations.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha(Lower
House of Indian Parliament) has been visiting Bellary without
fail since 1999 on the occasion of the 'Mahalakshmi Vratha'
and performed the puja except in 2008 when she did not attend
due to her father-in-law's demise.
Bhartiya Janta Party(BJP) president Nitin Gadkari
visited Bellary for the festival and made an attempt to
placate the Reddy brothers--Janardhana and Karunakara--who
failed to get ministerial berths in the new Government in
south Indian state Karnataka after their names figured in the
illegal mining scam.
After losing the high-profile election against Congress
president Sonia Gandhi from Bellary in 1999, Sushma had taken
a vow to visit the constituency every year for the
'Mahalakshmi Vratha' as a "thanksgiving" ceremony.
Gadkari told the Reddy brothers that "ministerial post
is not permanent in politics".
Gadkari, who inaugurated a Mass Marriage programme
organised by the district BJP unit here under the leadership
of former minister B Sreeramulu, exhorted the Reddy brothers--
--to devote their energies to the service of people.
"Many people have lost ministerial posts in the party.
But the party workers continue their work with enthusiasm.
Ours is a party of dedicated workers", Gadkari said.
Gadkari showered praises on the pro-people programmes
implemented by former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa in the
last three years in Karnataka and said "I am satisified by
these programmes".
Yeddyurappa, who was forced by BJP to quit after his
indictment by a Lokayukta report on illegal mining, was
present on the occasion.
Besides Sreeramulu, Reddy brothers, ministers Shobha
Karandlaje and Basavaraj Bommai were also present.