Bengaluru: After facing severe backlash , the coalition government has finally conceded to the demand of the public to celebrate Hampi Utsav. For now, however, the celebration will be a ‘low budget’ one and will only last for one day in retrospect to the original three-day programme.

While addressing press persons, Water Resource Minister D K Shivakumar stated that they had decided to cancel the Hampi Utsav this year owing to drought in various districts but now due to the pressure from Ballari MP V S Ugrappa and various artistes, the government has agreed to celebrate the Utsav as a low key one and for just one day. He also added that Ballari’s BJP MLA Somashekara Reddy said that if the government had no money to spare for the Utsav, they would beg and collect money to celebrate. He states that this statement was wrong as the government never said that they would cancel the Utsav owing to financial issues.

He added that the BJP would collect money from the public but the coalition would not stoop so as them.