While seers, particularly those from Lingayat community, are staging a show of strength in Bengaluru on Sunday in support of Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, leaders of the Panchamashali sect within the community have demanded that the new Chief Minister should be chosen from among them.
This has given raise to doubts on whether the Panchamashali sect would toe the line of other Lingayat seers who have been favouring continuation of Mr. Yediyurappa as Chief Minister.
Those organising the convention of seers have said that about 1,000 seers from across the communities are expected to participate in it. The seers, who recently expressed their support to Mr. Yediyurappa, said the main purpose of the convention was to take stock of various issues and also to express gratitude for Mr. Yediyurappa for his work towards development of the State. However, the timing of the convention coincides with the possibility of a leadership change.
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Meanwhile, Panchamashali Mutt seer Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami demanded that a leader from the community should get a chance to occupy the post of the Chief Minister if Mr. Yediyurappa steps down. Speaking to mediapersons after the community’s executive committee meeting in Bengaluru, the seer justified his demand by claiming that 80% of the community people had backed the BJP.
Reservation demand
The seer, who had earlier spearheaded the campaign for including the community under the 2A list of reservation, expressed concern over Mr. Yediyurappa not implementing his promise of sanctioning their demand within six months.
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He threatened to resume the hunger strike from October if the Chief Minister failed to convene a special meeting of the State Cabinet to recommend to the Centre to provide reservation to the community. He also said an awareness drive in this regard would be taken up in all the taluks.