Karnataka: BJP leaders' dance show to attract crowd for BS Yeddyurappa rally?

Bengaluru: The BJP, which is trying to expand its base in the Congress bastion of Chikkaballapura, was left embarrassed on Friday when its local leaders organised a dance show to attract crowds to the public rally of their state chief B.S. Yeddyurappa, who led the Parivarthana Yatra into Bagepalli later in the day. A video of the dance show reportedly organised by a party worker hoping to contest the assembly poll on a BJP ticket, went viral on social media and was picked up by news channels, leaving members of the party red faced as it showed it had to literally entertain people to keep them engaged and ready for the rally.

The BJP later tried to downplay the incident, claiming it had nothing to do with it. Going by sources, with Mr Yeddyurappa expected to arrive in Bagepalli only after addressing a rally in Gowribidanuru, local leaders in the town had tried to engage the crowds with the orchestra and dance show till his arrival. The show was said to have been organised by party ticket aspirant Arekere Krishna Reddy.

In more embarrassment for the BJP, it was alleged at Chikkaballpura that a large number of women had participated in the rally there only because they were promised free saris and money.