11-12-2007, 02:29 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>'Tackling corruption, rural growth priority' </b>
Pioneer News Service | Bangalore
ard-core RSS worker, Yediyurappa says he would strive to activate bureaucracy
BS Yediyurappa, the new face of the BJP in south India, is a hardcore RSS worker, who rose from the ranks to occupy the Chief Minister's post.
The 64-year-old Bookanakere Siddalingappa Yediyurappa will be sworn-in as Chief Minister on Monday. Born on February 27, 1943, in Mandya district, he was deputed by the RSS to Shikaripura in Shimoga district in 1965 to build the RSS cadre there.
It was a long struggle for the son of a farmer who lost his mother when he was four years.
Starting as a member of the local municipality, Yediyurappa was elected to the Karnataka Assembly in 1993 from Shikaripur. He has been representing the constituency since then, except for a break in 1999 when he lost the seat to the Congress.
Married to Mythra Devi, who passed away three years ago, he has two sons and three daughters.
Known for being short-tempered, the senior BJP leader who built up the party in the State along with former Union minister Ananth Kumar, Yediyurappa has mellowed in the recent years, especially after he became the deputy chief minister.
Umadevi, Yediyurappa's daughter said: "Our father remained short-tempered with all of us when he did not like certain things. However, his anger was short-lived. I believe it is this nature of getting angry for a 'valid reason' that has led him to this stage today."
The Chief Minister-designate is a firm believer in astrology which made him recently replace the letter 'i' from his name with 'y'. The change of the letter has not only brought him luck, but could also help sub-editors in newspaper offices who can simply call the new Chief Minister as 'Yeddy' while giving headlines to the reports!
Yediyurappa has had many ups and downs in his 35-year-long political career. There was a time two years ago, when Yediyurappa even wanted to join the Congress or the JD(S), if he was offered a ministerial berth. It was the efforts of senior BJP troubleshooter M Venkaiah Naidu, who prevailed on Yediyurappa to remain in the BJP. That was during the height of his tussle with his colleague Ananth Kumar.
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On the eve of his swearing-in, Yediyurappa said rural development, checking corruption, and activating bureaucracy were top on his agenda. "The primary challenge before me is to ensure that rural people live in peace, get all the amenities and see that they do not get distressed in life."
Probably, his biggest challenge will be to deal with the coalition partner Janata Dal (Secular), controlled by the family of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda
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Pioneer News Service | Bangalore
ard-core RSS worker, Yediyurappa says he would strive to activate bureaucracy
BS Yediyurappa, the new face of the BJP in south India, is a hardcore RSS worker, who rose from the ranks to occupy the Chief Minister's post.
The 64-year-old Bookanakere Siddalingappa Yediyurappa will be sworn-in as Chief Minister on Monday. Born on February 27, 1943, in Mandya district, he was deputed by the RSS to Shikaripura in Shimoga district in 1965 to build the RSS cadre there.
It was a long struggle for the son of a farmer who lost his mother when he was four years.
Starting as a member of the local municipality, Yediyurappa was elected to the Karnataka Assembly in 1993 from Shikaripur. He has been representing the constituency since then, except for a break in 1999 when he lost the seat to the Congress.
Married to Mythra Devi, who passed away three years ago, he has two sons and three daughters.
Known for being short-tempered, the senior BJP leader who built up the party in the State along with former Union minister Ananth Kumar, Yediyurappa has mellowed in the recent years, especially after he became the deputy chief minister.
Umadevi, Yediyurappa's daughter said: "Our father remained short-tempered with all of us when he did not like certain things. However, his anger was short-lived. I believe it is this nature of getting angry for a 'valid reason' that has led him to this stage today."
The Chief Minister-designate is a firm believer in astrology which made him recently replace the letter 'i' from his name with 'y'. The change of the letter has not only brought him luck, but could also help sub-editors in newspaper offices who can simply call the new Chief Minister as 'Yeddy' while giving headlines to the reports!
Yediyurappa has had many ups and downs in his 35-year-long political career. There was a time two years ago, when Yediyurappa even wanted to join the Congress or the JD(S), if he was offered a ministerial berth. It was the efforts of senior BJP troubleshooter M Venkaiah Naidu, who prevailed on Yediyurappa to remain in the BJP. That was during the height of his tussle with his colleague Ananth Kumar.
Â
On the eve of his swearing-in, Yediyurappa said rural development, checking corruption, and activating bureaucracy were top on his agenda. "The primary challenge before me is to ensure that rural people live in peace, get all the amenities and see that they do not get distressed in life."
Probably, his biggest challenge will be to deal with the coalition partner Janata Dal (Secular), controlled by the family of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda
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