Mysore Dasara Row: Tanveer Sait Miffed as Yatheendra Siddaramaiah Delays Event for Mahouts and Kavadigas

By Political Bureau

BENGALURU: Friction within the Karnataka Congress came to the fore in Mysore after senior legislator and former minister Tanveer Sait openly expressed his displeasure over Dr. Yatheendra Siddaramaiah, former MLA and son of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, causing a significant delay at an official event meant to honor Mysore Dasara mahouts and kavadigas.

The incident occurred during a scheduled program organized to felicitate the traditional elephant caretakers—the mahouts and kavadigas—who play a pivotal role in the world-famous Mysore Dasara celebrations. Scores of caretakers, along with senior officials and local leaders, were made to wait for a prolonged period awaiting the arrival of Dr. Yatheendra Siddaramaiah.

Sait Calls Out Protocol Disregard

Taking strong exception to the delay, Narasimharaja MLA Tanveer Sait did not mince words while addressing the gathering. Sait emphasized that the mahouts and kavadigas are the backbone of the historic Jamboo Savari and deserve the utmost respect and timely recognition for their dedicated service.

Sait noted that keeping the essential service providers waiting reflects poorly on public administration and party discipline, reiterating that public representatives must adhere strictly to schedule when attending events honoring traditional forest caretakers.

Internal Dynamics Under the Scanner

The public demonstration of irritation by a veteran leader like Tanveer Sait towards CM Siddaramaiah’s son has once again brought internal party dynamics in the Mysuru region into focus. While supporters of Dr. Yatheendra cited unavoidable scheduling conflicts for the delay, local party workers noted that Sait’s direct feedback underscores a growing demand for accountability and proper protocol adherence during high-profile Dasara preparations.

The mahouts and kavadigas, who spend months residing in temporary camps on the Mysore Palace premises to train the Dasara elephants, were eventually felicitated, but the political fallout from the timing dispute continues to trigger discussions in regional political circles.