The minister who allegedly slapped a municipal official, was planning to apologise to him once the crowd had dispersed. But the drama went out of hand, and the official landed in hospital with a neuro problem

Minister V Somanna (56) was hardly prepared for what happened when he pretended to lose his temper and slapped BBMP assistant engineer A N Somaraju.

Somaraju stopped talking, fell down unconscious, and was hospitalised. This turn of events is a first for Somanna, who routinely abuses officials and then tells them it was just playacting for the benefit of his voters.

"Think of me as your brother," he tells officials, and patches up with them with some friendly talk. Officials usually compromise because they need political support if ever they are pulled up for their lapses.

All in good humour

Good show sir! V Somanna

MiD DAY brings you some scenes from the colourful life of Somanna, who defected from the JD(S) to the Congress to the BJP. He is now minister in charge of religious affairs.

>> In 1982, he allegedly stole Rs 30,000 from the cash box in Janatha Bazar, where he was a salesman. He was sacked, but the very next year, he was elected to the municipal council as the Janata Party candidate from Vijayanagar.