Davangere: BS Yediyurappa had involved himself in a very public confrontation with a Panchamsali Lingayat seer a prominent sub-sect of the community, who openly lobbied for a ministerial berth for an MLA. It happened hours after he more or else admitted that the party’s central leadership had refused to lend him an ear on his plans to expand the cabinet, chief minister.
Veerashaiva Lingayat Panchamasali Samaj Gurupeetha seer Vachanananda Swamiji said the community will revolt against the BJP if Yediyurappa does not induct at least three Lingayat MLAs in his cabinet. Lingayats are generally seen to favor the BJP.
The seer issued a statement “Murugesh Nirani must get a ministerial berth. He has stood like a rock behind you and this peetha. If you fail to do so, then the entire Panchamasali community will desert you.”
Yediyurappa agitated jumped up from his seat and confronted the seer. “If you talk like this, I will not stand for it. I did not expect such words from you. I cannot function as per your whims and fancies. If you continue to speak like this, I will walk out of this event,”
The seer had barely finished saying this when Yediyurappa jumped up from his seat and confronted the seer. “If you talk like this, I will not stand for it. I did not expect such words from you. I cannot function as per your whims and fancies. If you continue to speak like this, I will walk out of this event,”
Yediyurappa in fumes stated, “You can give suggestions, but you cannot threaten me.” Then, realising television cameras were on him, Yediyurappa sat down. He, however, rebuked Nirani on stage and was seen angrily pointing fingers at the former minister.
The seer asked for the provision to provide a rightful share of cabinet berths to five Lingayat legislators, including two from the Panchamasali sect, Ashok Pooja and Mahesh Kummatalli, were elected in the recent byelections.
