Seers' delegation meets CM, extends support

A delegation of seers representing various Hindu communities met Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to extend their support on Friday.

The visit came after the chief minister’s public spat with Panchamasali Peeth seer Vachanananda Swami who demanded a ministerial berth for Murugesh Nirani, failing which he
threatened that the Panchamasali sub-sect of the Lingayat community would ‘desert’ the BJP.

This ‘threat’ angered Yediyurappa, who almost stormed off the dais during a public event, and engaged in a verbal duel with the seer. Vachanananda Swami has since apologised.

Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami of the Kudala Sangama Panchamasali Peeth said that the incident had hurt the feelings of the Panchamasalis. “We can advise the CM, but it should be well-intentioned,” he said. “It is not right to speak in a manner that might disrespect or hurt the chief minister. It was improper for the
seer to declare that Panchamasalis will desert him,” he added.

Any suggestion made to the chief minister should not sound like an
order.

The meeting with the chief minister came days after the spat attracted widespread criticism from politicians cutting across party lines.

Yediyurappa had also
offered to resign as chief minister due to the continuous pressure on him from various quarters on Cabinet expansion.

Among the seers in the delegation that met the chief minister were Madara Channaiah of Madara Channaiah Gurupeeth, Siddarama of Bhovi Gurupeeth, Shantaveera of Kunchitiga Gurupeeth and Purushotham of Uppara Gurupeeth.