Prominent Lingayat seer announces decision to contest against Union Minister Pralhad Joshi
Bengaluru (PTI): Fakira Dingaleshwar Swami of Shirahatti Fakkireshwar Math, a prominent Veerashaiva Lingayat seer, on Monday said he has decided to contest as an independent candidate from Dharwad segment in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Repeatedly targeting BJP's candidate from the segment and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, he accused him of "suppressing" Veerashaiva-Lingayat and other communities, and also misusing of the Lingayat maths and causing disrespect to them to stay in power.
"I'm announcing my candidature as an independent candidate from the Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency. As you are aware the national parties have announced their candidates and people in the Dharwad constituency and nearby segments feel that both parties have entered into election fixing like match fixing," Dingaleshwar Swami alleged.
Responding to the Swami's decision, Joshi said: "There is no reaction to Dingaleshwar Swami...Whatever he says it is blessings for me."
The seer also accused Congress of neglecting Lingayats after coming to power, and not giving suitable positions to leaders of calibre from the community.
Speaking to reporters here, he accused both national parties of having betrayed the people of the Dharwad constituency.
"While the two parties have fielded their candidates, voters of Dharwad have decided to field me as their candidate. This is a 'Dharma Yuddha' declared by those who value their dignity and 'Kaavidhaaris', against two national parties and selfish politicians," the swami said, adding, he is entering politics to create political awareness among people.
"There should be no politics in 'Dharma' and there should be 'Dharma' in politics -- is the desire of the people, and I will continue this even after the polls," he said, adding that his "Dharma Yuddha" will continue till the end of his life in favour of oppressed communities and their leaders.
A few seers in the Dharwad region, especially those from Lingayat community, met in Hubballi on March 27 under the leadership of Dingaleshwar Swami and asked BJP central leadership to change the party's Dharwad Lok Sabha candidate Prahlad Joshi. They had given the party time till March 31 to decide.
At that meeting it was decided that "like in the north", Swamijis in the south too should work in the political field and contest elections.
Lingayats are said to be the majority among voters in the Dharwad segment, while Joshi, a four-time MP, is a Brahmin.
Targeting Joshi, the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines, the seer alleged on Monday: "in oppressing leaders from other communities, Joshi is a hero, but when it comes to development, he is zero, and this is among the reasons for me to contest the election."
He asked as to what Joshi has done during his 20 years tenure as MP, to the constituency and the state.
Joshi on his part has been maintaining that he will consider the seer's comments as a blessing and will try to clarify the misunderstandings, if any, in the days ahead, while veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, a Lingayat stalwart, has categorically said there is no question of replacing Joshi.
To a question about his well wishers and supporters targeting the seer, Joshi said: "I have no comments, social media is an open platform and people there comment in our favour, also against us. I'm a party candidate, I will not comment on such things."
Karnataka goes to Lok Sabha polls in two phases and voting will be held for Dharwad in the second phase on May 7.
Claiming that BJP did not give tickets to various communities like Kuruba, Reddy, Ambigas and Lambanis, the Swami pointed out that veteran BJP leader K S Eshwarappa's son K E Kantesh too was denied ticket from Haveri, and he was "betrayed". "I had warned Eshwarappa not to trust Joshi."
He alleged that BJP denied opportunity to leaders from several big communities to contest, but has given three tickets to those from the community that has very less population (Brahmins -- Pralhad Joshi, Tejasvi Surya -Bangalore South, and Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri-Uttara Kannada), and asked: "where is social justice?"
However, claiming that he was not anti-Brahmin, he also said that several people from Joshi's community have contacted him, extending their support.
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Karnataka electoral roll SIR exercise to begin from June 20
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka will begin SIR of electoral rolls from June 20 as part of a nationwide exercise covering 16 states and three Union territories, CEO Anbu Kumar said on Friday.
The drive will cover more than 5.55 crore electors in the state, he said.
As per the schedule notified by the Election Commission (EC), preparation, training and printing activities will be carried out from June 20 to June 29 and Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct house-to-house visits from June 30 to July 29.
The rationalisation of polling stations is scheduled to be completed by July 29. The draft electoral roll will be published on August 5, following which claims and objections can be filed between August 5 and September 4.
The notice phase and disposal of claims and objections will continue from August 5 to October 3, and the final electoral roll will be published on October 7, it said.
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Addressing a press conference here, CEO Kumar said that in Karnataka, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer is fully prepared to proceed with the SIR of electoral rolls.
As part of this exercise, we have successfully mapped 86.46 per cent of our voters, he said.
"The primary objective of this entire exercise is to ensure that every eligible voter is enrolled, while simultaneously ensuring that no ineligible individuals are included in the voter list. Therefore, I seek the support and cooperation of all the voters of Karnataka, all political parties, and our friends from the media," he added.
According to the statement issued by the CEO's office, 59,050 BLOs will be involved in the SIR of the electoral roll in the state. The exercise will cover approximately 5,55,74,064 electors in the state as of May 12.
The SIR is a participative and transparent exercise involving electors, political parties and the election machinery. During the revision process, BLOs will undertake house-to-house visits for the distribution and collection of enumeration forms, the statement said.
Stating that there are currently 25,284 Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by recognised political parties, the CEO urged all recognised political parties to appoint BLAs for every polling station to ensure active participation and transparency in the revision process.
Electors have been requested to cooperate with BLOs during the house-to-house distribution and collection of enumeration forms.
Further details regarding the revision process, forms and schedule will be made available on the official websites of the District Election Officers, the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, and the Election Commission of India, the statement said.
