Bengaluru, Apr 10 (IANS): NDA candidates in Bengaluru met Vokkaliga seer, Dr Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji, at his Math in Vijayanagar locality of Bengaluru on Wednesday and sought his blessings ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

The meeting has assumed importance as the BJP is trying to reach out to the Vokkaligas by making an alliance with the JD(S).

The Leader of Opposition, R Ashoka, told the media after the visit that the mutt was a centre of devotion and during every election it was the tradition to seek blessings here.

Former Chief Minister Kumaraswamy stated, “After the Ugadi festival, this is the first day of the New Year and we have come here to seek blessings for the 14 candidates in Karnataka who are facing the election in the first phase.”

JD(S) leader and Mandya NDA candidate Kumaraswamy, Tumakuru BJP candidate V Somanna, Bengaluru North BJP candidate Shobha Karandlaje, Kolar NDA candidate Mallesh Babu, Bengaluru South BJP contestant Tejasvi Surya, Bengaluru Rural BJP candidate Dr CN Manjunath and Bengaluru Central BJP candidate PC Mohan felicitated the seer and got his blessings.

Mysuru-Kodagu candidate Yaduveer Wadiyar was also present and sought the blessings of the seer.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had attacked the BJP saying that the party had denied a ticket to the sitting Vokkaliga MP Pratap Simha.

The Congress has also fielded M Laxman, a Vokkaliga and close associate of CM Siddaramaiah against Yaduveer.