MANDYA: State Congress chief DK Shivakumar on Sunday met the Adichunchanagiri Mutt seer Nirmalanandanatha Swami and requested him to launch the Congress’s padayatra seeking implementation of the Mekedatu dam project.
Shivakumar wants to start the padayatra from Mekedatu on January 9.
The Congress has decided to reignite the campaign to get a reservoir built in Mekedatu to utilise wastewater, going out to the sea, for electricity and drinking.
The Congress camp claimed that the seer had responded positively but there was no word from the mutt on this matter.
Shivakumar said that he was confident that the seer would grace the event.
“I sought the blessings of god Sri Kalabhairaveshwara and Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji for the success of padayatra. We should invite all spiritual heads of all religions to take part in launching the padayatra,” he said.
Sources in the mutt said that since the padayatra for the Mekedatu dam project was taking the political colour and the JD(S) had alleged that Shivakumar hijacked the Mekedatu issue, the seer’s participation was doubtful.
The sources said that if the padayatra was apolitical one or organised by all political parties, Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji may have agreed to inaugurate it.
“The Mekedatu project should help the southern districts where the Vokkaliga caste dominates the political landscape. Since the mutt largely represents the Vokkaliga community and prominent leaders (H D Kumaraswamy and D K Shivakumar) from this community appear to be vying to take political mileage out of Mekedatu issue, the Nirmalanandanatha may opt out from being embroiled in political tumult,” said sources in the mutt.
Sri Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji was not available for comment.
Shivakumar wants to start the padayatra from Mekedatu on January 9.
The Congress has decided to reignite the campaign to get a reservoir built in Mekedatu to utilise wastewater, going out to the sea, for electricity and drinking.
The Congress camp claimed that the seer had responded positively but there was no word from the mutt on this matter.
Shivakumar said that he was confident that the seer would grace the event.
“I sought the blessings of god Sri Kalabhairaveshwara and Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji for the success of padayatra. We should invite all spiritual heads of all religions to take part in launching the padayatra,” he said.
Sources in the mutt said that since the padayatra for the Mekedatu dam project was taking the political colour and the JD(S) had alleged that Shivakumar hijacked the Mekedatu issue, the seer’s participation was doubtful.
The sources said that if the padayatra was apolitical one or organised by all political parties, Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji may have agreed to inaugurate it.
“The Mekedatu project should help the southern districts where the Vokkaliga caste dominates the political landscape. Since the mutt largely represents the Vokkaliga community and prominent leaders (H D Kumaraswamy and D K Shivakumar) from this community appear to be vying to take political mileage out of Mekedatu issue, the Nirmalanandanatha may opt out from being embroiled in political tumult,” said sources in the mutt.
Sri Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji was not available for comment.
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