Dingaleshwara Swami withdraws from Lok Sabha poll contest, Eshwarappa remains firm

HUBBALLI, SHIVAMOGGA: On the last day for withdrawal of nomination for the April 26 election, Dingaleshwara Swami, the junior seer of Shirahatti Fakireshwar Math, withdrew his nomination from the Dharwad Lok Sabha seat after hectic meetings with Congress leaders. However, BJP rebel candidate from Shimoga Lok Sabha seat, K S Eshwarappa continues to be in the fray.

Dingaleshwara Swami had filed his nomination as an independent candidate while BJP rebel Eshwarappa has also filed his nomination as an independent, but is campaigning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photograph.

Dingaleshwara Swami speaking to media persons in Hubballi on Monday.

Speaking to media persons after withdrawing his nomination, Dingaleshwara Swami said, “I withdrew my candidature on the advice of the senior seer, but I will continue my fight. I did not withdraw from the fray due to pressure from any politician and no political leader can defeat me”.

Stating that he would lay out his future plan of action soon, he said that both Congress and BJP leaders in the state had tried to convince him to back out from the election. “But I have not withdrawn due to their pressure”, he asserted.

Minister Santhosh Lad held talks with Dingaleshwara Swami earlier in the day at a hotel.

Launching an attack on Vijayapura BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, the seer termed him as a ‘brainless body’ and said he knew the forces that were acting behing Yatnal. He also claimed that Pralhad Joshi’s defeat from Dharwad was certain and added that it was visible from the look on the latter’s face.

Dingaleshwara Swami held detailed discussions with Labour Minister Santosh Lad at a private hotel earlier and also spoke to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after which he announced that he is withdrawing from the electoral fray.

BJP rebel candidate KS Eshwarappa did not withdraw his nomination and remains in the fray.

Meanwhile, BJP rebel Eshwarappa has refused to back down and continues to remain in the fray. He is contesting against the BJP’s official candidate B Y Raghavendra, son of senior party leader B S Yediyurappa, from Shimoga Lok Sabha seat.

Several party leaders, including state in-charge Radha Mohan Singh, Araga Jnanendra, MLCs Ravikumar and D S Arun, have held talks with Eshwarappa on withdrawing his nomination, but the latter has remained firm. Eshwarappa is angry that his son K E Kantesh was denied the Lok Sabha ticket from Haveri-Gadag seat and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s refusal to meet him after inviting him to Delhi.

Whether the party takes any against the rebel leader remains to be seen.