Was it an effort to appease the hurt feelings of Lingayats or time to know what the future holds for him? Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday went on a whirlwind tour to prominent mutts, temples and besides consulting an astrologer.
Kumaraswamy along with his lieutenants, N Cheluvarayaswamy and Zameer Ahmed, visited Sharada Sringeri Mutt in Basavanagudi and later to Murugarajendra Mutt in Gandhinagar -- apparently to appease Brahmin and Lingayat community who are seeing red at him for going back on his words on power transfer issue.
Before offering pooja at Sri Sharada temple of the Sringeri Mutt, he consulted famous astrologer K N Somayaji.
The astrologer told Kumaraswamy that the State would face elections in February or March next. “I have told the former CM that he is now enjoying Budha deshe and it will continue till 2014. He would be CM again for one-and-half term and he has the chances of becoming even the prime minister. At this juncture, Yediyurappa has no chances of becoming the CM” Mr Somayaji told Deccan Herald.
Eyebrows raised
Kumaraswamy’s visit to Murugarajendra Mutt has raised many eyebrows in political circles. For it is a powerful Lingayat Kendra and a centre of Shivamurthy Murugharajendra Swamji of Chitradurga Bruhanmutt. He spent nearly an hour here, where Lingayat leaders Sharanabasappa Darhsnapur and Amaregowda Bayyapur were also present.
He next visited Tera Panth Bhavan, a Jain Mandir, in Gandhi Bazaar. There he took the blessings of Jain Muni Amshru Jeenesh Kumar.
In the evening, he participated in Mahalaya Amayasya pooja held at his brother-in-law Dr Manjunath’s house.
When media persons sought to know the purpose of his visit to religious centres, Mr Kumaraswamy said that it was to douse the flames of agony and distress.
“I have come here to seek the blessings of swamjis and not to drag them to politics. Moreover, I will categorically declare that I will seek no intervention of any religious institution for my political survival”, he asserted.
Speaking on the occasion, the Murugarajendra Swamiji advised politicians to sink their personal differences and work for the welfare of people. The swamiji was also of the view that in the interest of people, there should be polarisation of political forces in the State.
Samajawadi Party Leader S Bangarappa also met the Chitradurga swamji and sought his blessings.
