Belgaum:  Actor-turned-minister M H Ambareesh’s conciliatory skills failed to make an impact on KJP leader B S Yeddyurappa on Wednesday. The former chief minister is staging a dharna in the Assembly since Monday.

Housing Minister Ambareesh was scheduled to reply to a query when the Question Hour began. He said that after becoming minister, he was attending the session in the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha for the first time.

“I would not like to speak when former chief minister Yeddyurappa is standing. I would not mind falling at his feet to request him to withdraw his dharna,” he said. He took the permission of Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa to convince Yeddyurappa.

Kannada film personalities depend on Ambareesh to resolve whenever crisis arises. Most of the time, he has been successful in defusing tension between aggrieved parties.

Ambareesh entered the well of the House and spoke to Yeddyurappa, who was standing along with five MLAs of his party, protesting over the Shaadi Bhagya scheme and scrapping of rations to APL families. The minister, after pleading with the KJP leader to give up his agitation, brought him to his seat forcibly. But, Yeddyurappa walked back, saying withdrawal of dharna would send a wrong message.

A section of the Congress members who did not like Ambareesh donning the role of a conciliator were heard saying that his action would go against the party’s decision. Many BJP members expressed happiness, assuming that their former leader had ended his dharna.

Meanwhile, Zameer Ahmed Khan (JD-S), in a raised voice, said none appreciated the Shaadi Bhagya scheme because only a handful of people would benefit, leaving many aspirants disappointed.

“Yeddyurappa is an aged man. We are concerned about his health. What answer will we have if something happens to him, when he is agitating over the Shaadi Bhagya scheme? We do not want this scheme as it is an insult to our community. In my constituency, I conduct free marriages. I myself will spend Rs four crore to Rs five crore to conduct mass marriages,” he said.

Taking exception to his remark, the Speaker said, “One need not flaunt personal wealth in the House. Are you going to conduct marriages by spending money for which you have paid income tax?”

When the drama of consoling Yeddyurappa continued, Law Minister T B Jayachandra said the government had requested the KJP leader to withdraw his dharna, but he had not responded.

Eventually, the House went about with its business and Yeddyurappa continued to stand.