JOIN USThe BJP is planning to field a visually-challenged seer from Hassan parliamentary constituency in the coming Lok Sabha elections.
The party is said to be considering giving ticket to Basavananda swami of Sriguru Basava Mahamane Mutt to contest from Hassan, which is being represented by JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda.
Basavananda Swami has been conducting health camps “Rogadinda Yogadakadege (from disease towards yoga)” across the State.
He claims that he can cure several diseases, including cancer. Though his Mutt is located in Managundi village in Dharwad district, he is a native of Gonisomanahalli of Belur taluk in Hassan district. He, in 2009, opened a branch of his mutt at Shivapura in Belur. He uses yoga methods to treat diseases.
The seer is said to be an ardent supporter of BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. He wants to enter politics with an aim to make Modi the prime minister and hence, he has been trying to get the party ticket from Hassan, sources said.
The party does not have a strong base in Hassan, where Vokkaligas are the dominant community. But there is also a good chunk of Lingayat voters in the constituency. The party is planning to consolidate Lingayat votes by fielding Basavananda Swami, sources said.