BENGALURU: In a show of power, 94-year-old MLA and Lingayat powerhouse Shamanur Shivashankarappa is poised to secure the presidency of the 120-year-old Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Mahasabha without a single challenger in sight. The political titan filed his nomination on Thursday, and with the deadline for competitors coming up on September 11, it looks like no one dares oppose him.
Sources reveal that the election, scheduled for September 29, has all but been decided. No one is expected to challenge Shivashankarappa, as any hopeful opponent would need both a proposer and seconder, and no one is willing to risk being associated with a losing candidate.
Shivashankarappa’s iron grip on the presidency -- he has reigned for 12 years -- seems unshakeable, continuing a legacy that matches the tenure of former Mahasabha president and ex-minister Bheemanna Khandre. In his case, it’s a dynasty: Shivashankarappa’s son, Mallikarjun, is cabinet minister in Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s government, and his daughter-in-law, Dr Prabha Mallikarjun, is Davanagere MP. The family has dominated the political landscape of Davanagere for decades. Shamanur Shivashankarappa had served as treasurer of the party and is among the wealthiest politicians of Karnataka.
The Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Mahasabha is a formidable force. Spanning 152 assembly constituencies in Karnataka and influencing political landscapes across Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and beyond, the Mahasabha is nothing short of a political juggernaut.