Siddaramaiah statue up overnight, down before DK Shivakumar passes by

A nine-foot Siddaramaiah statue appeared overnight at Kalaburagi's High Court Circle.

KALABURAGI: A 9ft Siddaramaiah statue appeared overnight at High Court Circle in Karnataka's Kalaburagi, only to disappear hours later when the city corporation pulled it down Thursday, just before CM DK Shivakumar was scheduled to pass the spot on his way to inaugurate a govt fest, reports Mouneshwar Sonnad.Officials claimed the statue had been "illegally" installed by a group of Siddaramaiah supporters without approval from either the district administration or the corporation.After municipal officers learned about the installation late Wednesday, they swung into action under police cover and removed it.The timing has been interpreted as an attempt to put pressure on govt to accept the statue or rename High Court Circle after the former CM.Sources said around 10 people were behind the installation. The group has long been demanding that High Court Circle be renamed after the former chief minister, but the govt is yet to approve thedemand.The same group had erected a Siddaramaiah statue at the spot three years ago, only for it to be removed then as well.This time, the statue quickly became a talking point, drawing curious crowds, with passersby assuming it had been installed with the govt's blessings.Its location was particularly conspicuous - right on the route Shivakumar was scheduled to take.