BENGALURU: Dingaleshwara Swamiji, who had filed his nomination for the Lok Sabha elections from Dharwad in protest against BJP candidate and Union minister Pralhad Joshi, withdrew his papers a few days ago. But now he plans to continue his Dharma Yudha by holding public meetings across the eight Assembly constituencies of the Dharwad Lok Sabha segment from Wednesday.
He said, “We will revive holding public meetings--Bahiranga Sabhas -- from May 1.’’ The polling for 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in North Karnataka is on May 7. Asked why he is upset, the seer said said he had contacted Joshi over some work, but the latter had shot back, saying “Don’t you have any Lingayat contact?’’
The swamiji also said he is the voice of the voiceless people from poor and downtrodden sections. His public meetings will be held in Hubballi-Dharwad central, west and east which are largely urban constituencies and at Shiggaon, Kundgol, Kalghatgi, Navalgund and Dharwad which are semi-urban and rural constituencies.
His close associates had said the Swamiji withdrew after he learnt that his opponents were planning a defamatory campaign against him.
The seer had said three Brahmins representing the state -- Joshi, Nirmala Sitharaman and Rajiv Chandrashekar -- have been included in the Union cabinet, though the community makes up just 2.5 per cent of the population. At the same time, MPs from other communities did not get ministerial positions despite their seniority. The downtrodden sections were left out in this lust for power by one small section, he had said.
The swamiji said he will meet Lingayats at public meetings and tell them that they should remember their Lingayat dignity and honour and elect a genuine representative and not the one who behaves in an entitled manner.
Veerashaiva Mahasabha Secretary Renuka Prasanna said, “The Swamiji is fighting to salvage Lingayat honour and dignity and we back him in his endeavour. He has raised the battle cry against Joshi, not for himself but for the community. There is nothing wrong with that.’’
Swamiji, who had opposed the BJP ticket to Joshi, said, “Let the best person who is truly a representative of all segments be given the ticket. I don’t care if it is a Lingayat, Dalit or a backward class member.’’