Amit Shah, hugs Ramadass at Mysuru airport, offers prayers at Chamundeshwari temple

MYSURU: Union Home Minister Amit Shah offered prayers at the Chamundeshwari Temple atop Chamundi Hills in Mysuru on Monday. Shah is on a three-day visit to Karnataka that started on Sunday.

Amit Shah arrived in Mysuru by a special flight from Bengaluru and headed straight to Chamundi Hills from the airport where he offered special prayers. He was accompanied by incumbent Krishnaraja MLA S A Ramadass and Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha.

Ramadass, who had been keeping away after accompanying the new candidate Srivatsa on the day of filing nomination, was at the Mysuru airport to receive Amit Shah and accompanied him.

Shah also gave Ramadass a hug at the airport. “I have been a bit unwell for the last two days, but since he is a senior leader, I went to the airport to receive him. I presented a bouquet and welcomed him. At that time Shah told me ‘Ramadass ji, bahut achcha nirnay liya’ and hugged me smilingly. I am thankful to him.

Amit Shah gave Ramadass a hug when the latter received him at the Mysuru airport on Monday.

On whether he got any assurances from the party leadership after he was denied a ticket for the upcoming election, he said, “I had two choices — contest as an independent or whether to maintain ties of 25 years with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and I chose the latter”, he told Public TV.

After offering prayers, Shah returned to Bengaluru from the Mysuru airport.

S A Ramadass said he chose to maintain his ties with the BJP and PM Modi.

BJP president J P Nadda, who is also on a three-day visit to Karnataka from today, will participate in a roadshow in Sidlaghatta in Chikkaballapur district. He will also visit a temple at Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district and address several public meetings.

Ahead of the May 10 Assembly elections, the BJP, which is in power in the only southern state, seems to be throwing all its efforts into the poll campaign aiming for the second consecutive term. The party’s mega election campaign is likely to get a boost with Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the State on April 29.

According to Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, PM Modi will start his campaign from Belagavi. He will visit Chikodi, Kittur and Kudachi in Belagavi district, one of the biggest in Karnataka. Prime Minister will also visit Uttara Kannada district. He will again visit the poll-bound state on May 3.

According to BJP sources, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address four election rallies on April 26 and 29 and on May 5 and 7. Union Minister Smriti Irani will address eight rallies between April 25 and May 6.  (With Agency inputs)