Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Nov 2: The Lingayat-Veerashaiva Coordination Forum has passed a resolution urging the BJP high command to take a decision to offer the seat of the chief minister (CM) to only a strong Lingaya candidate if the current CM, B S Yediyurappa is removed.

A meeting of the forum was held at Rangabharana Kala Kendra here on Sunday November 1. The meeting was chaired by former judge of the state high court, Justice Ashok B Hinchigeri. Senior leaders of the community held discussions and exchanged ideas at the meeting before arriving at a consensus. The meeting felt that if the community is split into factions, they might lose the CM's post. They decided to dump factionalism, and unite.

"In the past, Yediyurappa was accepted as the leader of the community when the JD(S) betrayed him. Now, under the changed political scenario, there is the chance of Yediyurappa being asked to step down from his post. If this happens, the post he vacates should be given to a leader from this community. No one should dither from exerting pressure to get this demand met.

"BJP leaders Jagadish Shettar, Basavarj Bommai, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and others are in the list of aspirants for the post. In the Congress, M B Patil has been identified as a leader of eminence. In the past, S Nijalingappa, Veerendra Patil, B D Jatti, S R Kanti, J H Patel, and S R Bommai became chief minisiters and held the values high. Nowadays we are losing this eminence. We have to ensure that none of the people with blemishes enter any of the parties," the leaders opined.

It was decided to hold a meeting of the Guru-Vrakta Swamiji and leaders at Bengaluru shortly. Mallikarjuna Devaru of Sarpabhushana Math, senior advocate,Gangadhar Gurumath, Halanur Lepakshi and others were present.