Lok Sabha Polls: Karnataka's Lingayat Seers Set March 31 Deadline for BJP to Replace Pralhad Joshi as Candidate

Former Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa with union minister Pralhad Joshi (R) during a press meet in Hubballi on March 27. (Image: PTI)

Veerashaiva Lingayat seers in Karnataka’s Hubballi have demanded the replacement of union minister Pralhad Joshi as a BJP candidate from the Dharwad constituency. They have given the saffron party a deadline of March 31 to arrive at a decision, failing which they will be fielding their own candidate.

Seers from different mutts held a meeting at Hubballi on Wednesday (March 27) and decided to urge the BJP to replace Joshi. Addressing a press conference, Dingaleshwar Swami of Shrihatti Fakireshwar mutt accused the union minister of ill treating the Veerashaiva Lingayat community.

“We are not against society, we are against the character and actions of Pralhad Joshi. I will make it clear that I’m not against Brahmins, I’m against that person. It’s not too late, there’s time for the BJP to change the candidate. Karnataka people have the power to change a person within 24 hours. They need no campaign, money or liquor; just 24 hours is enough. We won’t have decided this if only one community was hurt. All the communities have expressed their discontent with him; hence, we have arrived at this decision,” he said.

The community has further alleged that Joshi did nothing to address their socio-political religious issues. “We will wait till March 31 for the BJP to change the candidate, if not, we will take a decision on April 2,” the seer said.

Responding to the accusations, Joshi said he will be speaking to the Veerashaiva Lingayat leaders to clear the misunderstanding and refused to elaborate on the issue. “I have respect for the seer. Be it Dingaleshwar seer or his guru, I have known them for the past 30 years. Whatever the misunderstanding is, we will speak to him and set it right,” he said.

Following the development, former chief minister and party veteran BS Yediyurappa echoed the minister’s statement that a misunderstanding has led to the issue. He said he will personally speak to the seers and sort it out.

“Pralhad Joshi is a leader who takes all the communities together, that’s why he has been given a higher position by Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi. Whoever has misunderstood him, I will speak to them. He will win with a bigger margin this time as well,” he said.

The Congress has fielded Vinod Asooti, a leader from the Kuruba community, against Joshi in Dharwad. If the Veerashaiva Lingayat leaders decide to field their own candidate, it will make way for a triangular contest. This will lead to a division of or swing the Lingayat vote from Joshi, adding more obstacles to his victory.

The BJP in Karnataka faced similar opposition in the recently concluded assembly election, where the Lingayats accused the saffron camp of sidelining leaders of their community. This eventually led to the exodus of top brass Lingayat leaders of the BJP – like Laxman Savadi and Jagadish Shettar – to the Congress, thereby swinging Lingayat votes towards the grand old party.