Wednesday, October 26 2005 13:05 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: A wet start is on the cards for Bangalore IT.IN, positioned as Asia's premier information, communications, media and technology event, already overshadowed by political wrangling in Karnataka.

It has been raining heavily since Sunday in India's tech capital where the annual trade-show commences with the State seeking to showcase its it prowess and the MET Department has predicted more rains this week.

But unlike the previous years, the usual excitement on the eve of the eighth edition is conspicuously missing. The IT industry, which flexed its muscles to highlight the infrastructure woes in Bangalore, and the Congress Janata Dal (JD) Secular (S) coalition Government have been at loggerheads.

Former Prime Minister H D Devegowda's attack on Infosys Technologies Limited on land allotment and utilization issues and on its Chief mentor N R Narayana Murthy questioning his contribution as Chairman of Bangalore Airport Authority Limited (BIAL) have not helped matters either.

The open trading of charges between Devegowda and Maharashtra Governor S M Krishna, the former Karnataka Chief Minister, have added to the unease in Government circles.

Devegowda, in fact, is the Chief guest at the inaugural function hosted by Karnataka Government in association with software technology parks of India, on the sprawling palace grounds and what has to say will be watched with interest.