The much talked about eighth edition of the Bangalore IT.in, an international exposition on information, communication technology proved to be a damp squib, thanks to a combined factors of spat between the government and the sector and heavy rains in the city in the last few days.

While a majority of the participants chose to keep away from the event, visitors preferred to remain indoors on weatherman's advice following a forecast of heavy downpour during the week due to a depression in the Bay of Bengal.

Consequently, there were only a few visitors at the stalls. The poor response could also be attributed to the controversy over allotment of lands to IT giants like Infosys [Get Quote] opposed by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.

Of Gowda, drama and top IT meet

Some of the visitors who spoke to UNI were totally disappointed about the event this year. ''We came here to observe latest developments in the sector. But not a single stall is impressive.

The event is losing its sheen,'' they remarked.  But the organisers chose to disagree with a view that the event was a failure. If it were to be a failure, then there would not be over 300 participants, they contended. But the fact was that of the total participants, many were yet to put up their shops.

Software Technologies Park of India Director B V Naidu denied that the IT sector had shown lukewarm response this time as a protest against lack of infrastructural facilities in the city.

There were many sponsors for the show and ''you can see for yourself'' was all he could say without going into the controversial aspect.

Be that as it may, undoubtedly visitors are yet to make a beeline to the sprawling palace grounds, the venue of the Asia's largest and most exciting exposition that would end on October 29.