HUBBALLI: While a group of Veerashaiva-Lingayat Swamijis demanded that the BJP central leadership shift Union Minister Pralhad Joshi from Dharwad to another parliamentary constituency, BJP Central Parliamentary Board member BS Yediyurappa ruled out of any such change and said that if the seers have had any misconception about Joshi, it will be sorted out through talks.
On Wednesday, seers from various Lingayat mutts of the region met at Moorusavir Mutt here and decided to oppose Joshi’s candidature from Dharwad. The contention of the seers, especially Dingaleshwar Swamiji of Shirahatti Bhavaikya Peetha, is that the Union minister has systematically opposed leaders of all communities and has no respect for religious heads.
The meeting resolved to ask the BJP leadership to change the candidate and set March 31 as a deadline. If the party fails to decide by then, the seers will meet again on April 2 and announce their next course of action. The seers ruled out going back from their stand or holding any negotiations with the BJP leadership.
Dingaleswhar Swamiji, rumoured to contest against Joshi as an independent, alleged that Joshi was the real force behind Yediyurappa losing his chief minister post. Also, many other Lingayat leaders have been betrayed by Joshi, he charged. If the BJP is so fond of Joshi, he should be shifted to another constituency as the party has already set such a precedent, the seer said, obliquely referring to Jagadish Shettar.
Sharing his experience, the swamiji said that when he called Joshi over phone three years ago for some social work, the latter had insulted him saying, “Did you not get any Lingayat leader for this work? Joshi’s brother too spoke to me rudely, saying hundreds of seers come to his door. It seems Joshi is intoxicated with power”.
The Shirahatti seer, however, tried not to target any single community, particularly to which Joshi belongs. He said, “We are not against any community or party... not even against Joshi or his community. But we are against Joshi’s attitude and approach towards other communities. We are deeply hurt by his behaviour. We are serious about changing his candidature”.
BSY rules out change
But Yediyurappa dismissed the seers’ demand and said BJP will in no way change Joshi’s constituency. “Because of Joshi’s nature of taking people of all communities along, he has developed as a leader. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too has acknowledged this and given him a top position in the government. There could be some misunderstanding among the seers. I will speak to all of them, including Dingaleswhar Swamiji,” he said.
Joshi, however, refused to react to the allegations of the seers, saying he held Dingaleshwar Swamiji in high regard and whatever charges the seer has made, he will consider them as blessings. He is also not averse to speaking to the Swamiji if the latter agrees, he added.