Bengaluru: The Congress social gathering is on the fence over whether or not to assist distinguished Lingayat seer Fakir Dingaleshwara Swami’s announcement to contest towards Bharatiya Janata Occasion’s (BJP) Pralhad Joshi at Dharwad in northern Karnataka.
The choice of the seer to contest as Unbiased is being touted by locals as a ‘Khadi versus Khavi’ (saffron robes donned by seers) combat evolving within the northern district.
Congress state president D.Okay. Shivakumar, who can also be the deputy chief minister, has mentioned that he’ll “discuss” the problem with Siddaramaiah after which take a name to increase assist to the seer or not.
Despite the fact that the Congress has introduced Vinod Asooti as its candidate from Hubballi-Dharwad, it has not overtly dominated out the potential for backing the seer towards Joshi.
“If we are supporting him (seer), we will support him directly itself, why indirectly,” Shivakumar informed reporters Wednesday. He added that the Congress, nevertheless, has issued a ticket to Asooti.
Northern districts of Karnataka head to the polls on 7 Might, and the seer just isn’t holding again towards Joshi, a four-time MP.
Dingaleshwara Swami, the pontiff of Shirahatti and Balehosur Bhavaikyatha Sanstana Mutt, instructions a big following within the area. His feedback that Joshi has “suppressed” Lingayat leaders and the group has resonated with some sections of the voters.
“I have been asked by the public …members of all communities, including the Brahmins, people from both parties (Congress and BJP) who were wronged by Joshi, to contest as an independent. Now the same people will take the initiative and ensure my victory,” the seer informed ThePrint.
The seer is scheduled to carry a public assembly and a ‘padayatra’ (foot march) from Nehru stadium to Moorsavira Mutt in Hubballi on Thursday.
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‘Other Mutts supporting my candidature’
In Karnataka’s deeply caste-influenced politics and society, Mutts or monasteries have vital sway over the voters.
It isn’t very unusual for seers to ask members of its group to vote for or vote out a celebration or candidate. They’re additionally recognized to adjudicate disputes, give diktats, affect coverage, and spearhead reservation calls for. In 2011, Siddalinga Swami of Gadag’s Thontadarya Mutt led the protest towards the proposal by South Korean large Posco from establishing a metal plant within the district.
Although anticipated to stay apolitical, a number of seers have expressed assist for or towards candidates throughout elections.
“Several heads of Mutt project an apolitical stand, bless everyone who visits them…this is not to say that they won’t express support and communicate the same. But all this is done in the background,” mentioned a Bengaluru-based analyst.
Kudalasangama Panchamasali Peeth seer Basava Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami has mentioned that he’s but to take a call to assist Dingaleshwara Swami. “I am yet to discuss this issue with other leaders of our community. Only after this can we make our stand clear,” the seer informed ThePrint.
In January final 12 months, Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami had led the Panchamasali protests over unfulfilled calls for of together with Lingayats into the 2B class of the state backward lessons record.
Most caste and sub-caste teams have established their very own mutt as a bargaining power to symbolize the group.
A number of Lingayat Mutts have a wealthy historical past, run colleges, schools, hospitals and even have boarding, the place free schooling and meals is offered to kids from completely different communities.
Joshi has maintained a silence on allegations made by Dingaleshwara Swami nor reacted to the seer contesting as Unbiased.
“Many leaders of the BJP, like Yediyurappa, Jagadish Shettar, (B.Y) Vijayendra, Rajya Sabha members, ex-ministers have reached out to me,” Dingaleshwara Swami mentioned, including that his resolution to contest was fueled by the “injustice” meted out to numerous communities who had been “pained” underneath Joshi.
There’s anger towards Joshi for defeating Vinay Kulkarni, at present a Congress MLA, in 2019. Kulkarni belongs to the dominant Panchamasali sub-sect of the Lingayat group.
There are sections of Lingayats that imagine that it was underneath Joshi’s orders {that a} “false case” of homicide was filed towards Kulkarni and despatched to jail.
This isn’t the primary time that Dingaleshwara Swami has made information. In April 2022, the seer alleged that the then Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP authorities had demanded 40 p.c fee to launch funds. His statements lent to the Congress allegations of widespread corruption towards the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP authorities, higher referred to as ‘PayCM’, within the run as much as the 2023 meeting election.
‘Seer power’
In 2023, the Lingayats had been seen to facet with the Congress over the perceived ‘humiliation’ of its political representatives like B.S.Yediyurappa, Jagadish Shettar and Lakshman Savadi amongst others.
In 2008, the group backed the Yediyurappa-led BJP enmasse after the Janata Dal (Secular), or JD(S), pulled out its assist to the coalition authorities barely a 12 months in the past.
Although caste is a think about nearly all components of the nation, it isn’t as pronounced as it’s in Karnataka, analysts and political observers say.
Dingaleshwara Swami has focused Joshi, a Brahmin, who was allegedly one of many most important conspirators behind the removing of Yediyurappa in July 2021.
Apparently, it was H.D.Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) who ‘revealed’ that Joshi was to exchange Yediyurappa however the BJP determined towards it fearing a Lingayat backlash. Subsequently, Siddaramaiah’s protege Basavaraj Bommai grew to become the chief minister on 28 July 2021.
“In the second week of March, at least 100 prominent seers met and took this decision to contest against Joshi,” mentioned one particular person conscious of the developments.
However the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha is but to take a facet.
“We will make our decision public within the next couple of days. But we are unlikely to take sides since we have members of all parties within our organisation,” a senior Mahasabha workplace bearer informed ThePrint.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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