Dingaleshwar Swami meets Sufi peer seeking support

The head of the Shirahatti Fakkireshwar Mutt will file his nomination papers in Dharwad today

Fakira Dingaleshwar Swami who is all set to contest as an independent candidate in the Dharwad Lok Sabha elections meeting president of All Karnataka Sadat O Mashaik Mission Peer Sayed Ahmed Raza Sirkazi and others at Shantinagar in Hubballi on Wednesday seeking the latter’s community support. | Photo Credit: KIRAN BAKALE

Fakira Dingaleshwar Swami of Shirahatti Fakkireshwar Mutt, who is all set to file his nomination papers as an independent candidate for the elections to the Dharwad Lok Sabha Constituency, visited the residence of a peer of the Sufi tradition in Hubballi on Wednesday seeking his support.

Fakira Dingaleshwar Swami visited the residence of president of All Karnataka Sadat O Mashaik Mission Peer Sayed Ahmed Raza Sirkazi at Shantinagar in Keshwapur locality of Hubballi and held talks with him for some time.

Later, addressing a joint press conference, Peer Sayed Ahmed Raza Sirkazi said that the seer is more secular than any secular political party as the mutt he heads follows a syncretic tradition.

“It would have been better if the Congress had chosen the swami as its candidate. However, every party has its own reasons to choose a candidate. But it is a good thing that the seer has come out to contest the election in the interest of the region. We need some time to hold discussion with our followers and then, we will intimate the seer about the community’s decision,” he said.

To a query, he said that whether to support the swami or any political party during the Lok Sabha elections will be decided after consultation.

Dharma Yuddha

Terming the elections to the Dharwad Lok Sabha Constituency as Dharma Yuddha (Holy War), Fakira Dingaleshwar Swami said that it is not his election but an election of the voters.

He said that he will file his nomination papers on Thursday and there will be no show of strength as the political parties do.

“We will take out a yatra from Lingayat Town Hall in Dharwad at 10 a.m. I have appealed to all my followers to take part in the procession only if they found time amid their daily schedule. It is a procession wherein every person with self-esteem will participate, but we are not forcibly bringing anyone to be part of it,” he said.

On Lingayat leaders accompanying Union Minister Pralhad Joshi when he filed his nomination papers, the seer said that all those who accompanied him are the very same leaders who, according to him, were sidelined by Mr. Joshi in the last two decades.