If CM is changing in Karnataka, Lingayats must be given priority: Panditaradya Shivacharya Swamiji
Chikkodi: The recent discussions regarding the potential change of Karnataka's Chief Minister have sparked statements from leaders of various communities. In a recent development, Srisaila Jagadguru Dr. Channa Siddarama Panditaradhya Shivacharya Swamiji said that the Veerashaiva Lingayat community must be prioritised for the Chief Minister's position if changes are made.
Swamiji, speaking at Yadoora village in Chikkodi taluk, Belagavi district, highlighted that the Lingayat community has played a significant role in the recent elections and should be rewarded with key political positions.
He named prominent Lingayat leaders such as MB Patil, Ishwara Khandre, SS Mallikarjuna, and Shamanur Shivshankarappa as suitable candidates for the Chief Minister's role. He also said that the issue has been discussed with Jagadgurus from Kashi and Ujjain.
ALSO READ: D K Shivakumar mocks demand for 3 more Deputy Chief Ministers in Karnataka
Further, Srishaila Jagadguru said that if an agreement was made at the time of becoming the Chief Minister, let them act accordingly.
This statement follows a demand from top Vokkaliga pontiff Kumara Chandrashekaranatha Swami of Vishwa Okkaliga Mahasansthan Math, who urged the current Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to step down in favour of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar during the Kempegowda Jayanti program.
The opposition BJP had seized upon this statement, with Leader of Opposition R Ashok questioning whether DCM DK Shivakumar was behind Swamiji's appeal.
In response to these developments, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah maintained that any decision would be made by the party's High Command, while the discussions around the creation of an additional Deputy Chief Minister position continue to create confusion within the state Congress.
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Youths, relying on Google Maps, drive vehicle into river in Kasaragod; rescued
Kasaragod: Two youths, who were on their way to a hospital using Google Maps to find their way, drove their car into a swollen river but had a miraculous escape as the vehicle got stuck to a tree in Kerala's northernmost Kasaragod district.
The visuals of Fire Force personnel pulling them to safety from the overflowing river in Pallanchi here the other day went viral on social media platforms on Sunday.
They could escape and contact the Fire Force personnel only because their vehicle, which was carried away by the water currents, got stuck in a tree.
The rescued youths said they were on their way to a hospital in neighbouring Karnataka in the wee hours the other day and were proceeding using Google Maps.
Abdul Rasheed, one of the youths, said Google Maps showed a narrow road and they drove their car through it.
"Using the vehicle's headlight, we felt that there was some water in front of us. But, we didn't see that there was a river on both sides and a bridge in the middle. There was also no sidewall for the bridge," he told a TV channel.
The car suddenly began to get carried away in the water currents but later got stuck in a tree on the shores of the river.
By this time, they managed to open the car door, come out of the vehicle and contacted the Fire Force personnel by sending them the location.
Later, Fire Force personnel rushed to the place and pulled out the two men to safety using ropes.
"We never thought that we could come back to life. We truly feel that it is a rebirth," Rasheed added.
Last month, a group of tourists from Hyderabad drove into a swollen stream near Kuruppanthara in Kottayam apparently after using Google Maps.
All four managed to escape unharmed due to the efforts of a nearby police patrol unit and local residents, but their vehicle was completely submerged.
Two #Kanhangad natives had a narrow escape on the #Pallanchi Forest road in #Kasaragod's #Kuttikol after their car fell into a river early morning on Thursday.
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) June 27, 2024
The passengers M Abdul Rashid (35) and A Thashreef (36) said they met with the accident at 6 AM while heading towards a… pic.twitter.com/SMmJ58UBq3
