Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa doesn't like being called a doctor. He, in fact, has now decided to drop the prefix Dr from his name, given to him by Michigan's Saginaw Valley State University last year in recognition "of his contribution to public life".

The doctorate, which was conferred on him six months after he took office, had raised many eyebrows in political and academic circles. "There are many people who are hundred times more deserving than me. I'm not even qualified to be called a doctor. I will ensure that the prefix is not used in any communication from now on. I will issue a circular in this regard. I'm a simple farmer's son and would like to be called a farmer instead of a doctor," the chief minister said while inaugurating a BDA project in the Mahadevapura Assembly constituency on Tuesday.

That's not all. There will be no birthday cake or candles for the chief minister when he turns 66 on February 27. "I have decided to cancel all the celebrations planned as part of my birthday. I will spend the entire day in a temple instead,'' he told the gathering.

The CM owes the 'change' to his visit to the Gokarna temple on Mahashivaratri, which he calls "an eye-opening experience."

Yeddyurappa also told his supporters not to garland him. "Garlands are meant for gods. I will stop attending events if this practice is not discontinued," he said.

Bosky Khanna/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication