Bookanakere comes alive as Yeddyurappa takes oath as CM

Mandya, Karnataka, May 30 (UNI) A festive mood prevailed in Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddiyurappa's native, non descript village Bookanakere, in K R Pet taluk in Mandya district, soon after he was sworn in.

His uncermonious exit as Chief Ministers last year in November hurt the villagers very much. But today they were a happy lot. They expressed confidence that he would complete the full five-year term in office.

The village, known for several jaggery producing units has been celebrating Mr Yeddiyurappa's victory since yesterday even though he was to take oath as the 19th Chief Minister of the state this afternoon.

Party workers, well wishers and his close relatives distributed sweets immediately after the oath taking ceremony.

Jubilant youth in the village burst crackers to celebrate the occasion.

The villagers also thronged the ancestral home of Mr Yeddyurappa and exchanged pleasantaries with the Chief Minister's sister-in-law, who lives in the house.

A few days before the election results were announced, the villagers had offered prayers to the local deity for their leader's victory.

Initially, Mr Yeddyurappa worked as a clerk in a rice mill. His sisters, Puttammanni and Premakumari, live in Hosaholalu and Sindhughatta, close to Bookanakere.

Mr Yeddyurappa's childhood friends still reside in the village. They are now waiting for his visit to the place of his birth as Chief Minister of the state.

One of his relatives said Mr Yeddyurappa would successfully complete full five year term and bring good name to the village.

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