Close on the heels of Fakira Dingaleshwar Swami of Shirahatti Fakkireshwar Mutt targeting Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi for his alleged ‘ill-treatment of Lingayat seers and leaders’, the Congress party seems to be taking every step to keep the Lingayat community and leaders in the party in good spirits.
Fakira Dingaleshwar Swami, the successor of the Fakkireshwar Mutt in Shirahatti of Gadag district, represents a syncretic tradition and consequently has a very good following among members of both Hindu and Muslim communities. Although the seer is yet to formally announce his decision on contesting, which he is scheduled to make in Bengaluru, already the devotees have passed a resolution urging him to contest the Loksabha election.
While Mr. Joshi has been caught off guard by the sudden outburst of the seer and is making all out efforts to placate the seer, the Congress too now is feeling the pinch as it has nominated a Kuruba community leader Vinod Asuti as its candidate, leaving behind some Veerashaiva Lingayat leaders who were strong aspirants for the party ticket.
The recent meeting of Veerashaiva Lingayat leaders by Labour Minister Santosh Lad in Dharwad is being seen as an effort to win the confidence of the community leaders within Congress. Even before the meeting was convened, the Congress party’s high command sent a clear message to the community leaders that they would be treated with respect by making them some of them as state functionaries.
Former MLC Mohan Limbikai from the Lingayat community who had switched over to Congress from BJP before the Assembly elections and a strong aspirant for the party ticket has been made State vice president. This apart from other leaders from the Veerashaiva Lingayat community from Dharwad district including former MLA M.S. Akki, former State President of Youth Congress Sadanand Danganavar, Mohan Asundi Kiran Mugabasava, and Nagaraj Gouri, Rajat Ullagaddimath, Vijay Mattikatti and Swathi Malagi have been made general secretaries.
It is for the first time in the recent years that Veerashaiva Lingayat leaders have been made party functionaries in such a big number. Another leader from the community, MLA Vinay Kulkarni has already been made State Working President.
Nagaraj Gouri, whose position has been upgraded from secretary to general secretary told The Hindu that the party had recognised the services of young leaders from the community. During the meeting of the community leaders the same was communicated and their role was emphasised especially in the wake of possible contest of Dingaleshwar swami as independent candidate.
