Ominous start to jinx-breaking visit, Kumaraswamy’s chopper forcelands

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s visit to “jinxed” border district of Chamarajanagar began on an ominous note as the helicopter carrying him was forced to make an emergency landing on a slushy lakebed nearly one km away from the makeshift helipad set up on the outskirts of Yelandur town in the district on Sunday evening.

The pilot of the Chief Minister’s helicopter was unable to spot to the helipad in view of the poor visibility on account of the heavy rains accompanied by strong gales in the area. Though the ground staff preparing to receive the Chief Minister at the helipad fired the flares to indicate the landing spot, the bad weather condition forced the pilot to make an abrupt landing on the bed of a lake.

The Chief Minister, who was accompanied by party legislators Puttaraju and Anil Lad, besides the officials, spent more than half an hour chatting inside the landed chopper. They stepped out of the aircraft only after the rains subsided.

Officials said a few villagers, who were working in the agricultural fields, rushed towards the helicopter and were surprised to find the Chief Minister inside. Soon a crowd gathered near the helicopter and the farmers and labourers exchanged greetings with the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, the district administration officials and party workers, who had gathered at the helipad, grew anxious over the undue delay in the arrival of the Chief Minister. They began a frantic search for the Chief Minister’s chopper in the region after the police received a wireless message about the emergency landing.

Finally, a message was conveyed to the district administration about the exact location of the Chief Minister. The Minister in charge of the district Mahadev Prasad accompanied by officials rushed to the spot, which did not have a motorable road. However, the villagers and the officials helped the Chief Minister and his entourage to clear the slush and get into a car.

Kumaraswamy proceeded to complete his engagements in the district, which has long been neglected by a superstitious belief that Chief Ministers visiting Chamarajanagar would lose power within months.

After staying overnight in the house of a farmer at Badagalmole in the district, Kumaraswamy entered Chamarajanagar town yesterday morning to become the first Chief Minister of the State to visit the town in almost 17 years.

The Chief Minister first offered special prayers at the Chamarajeshwara Temple in Chamarajanagar town and launched developmental works worth Rs 3.7 billion that included setting up an engineering college and drinking water facility to more than a 100 villages of the region. Later, he held a progress review meeting with officials and addressed a public meeting.

Speaking to reporters, Kumaraswamy said he stood by the promise he had made to the people of the State by visiting Chamarajanagar, which is regarded as a jinxed town. “I am here on a mission to dispel the myth that Chief Ministers visiting the town lose power. I hope my visit puts an end to this jinx”, he said.

Though a lot of people, including my family members, advised me against visiting Chamarajanagar, Kumaraswamy said his visit also proves that he was not working under the influence of family and friends. “I am working for the development of the people”, Kumaraswamy said.