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.
