The Hindu : Karnataka News : `H.K. Patil is not a Veerashaiva Lingayat'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 16, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

`H.K. Patil is not a Veerashaiva Lingayat'

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The All-India Veerashaiva Mahasabha has said that the Law Minister, H.K. Patil, should not be considered a Veerashaiva Lingayat if he is in the reckoning for the post of President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee.

As speculation about finding a successor to the incumbent, B. Janardhana Poojary, is rife, and various groups are hoping that the KPCC President will be chosen from among them, the mahasabha is trying to make it clear that appointing Mr. Patil will in no way mollify the Lingayat lobby within the State unit of the Congress.

At a press conference on Wednesday, the mahasabha secretary general, H.V. Nagendrappa, said the organisation has no objection to Mr. Patil being the choice of the party High Command. But if this is made out to be done as a measure to please the Lingayats, the mahasabha will be disappointed.

To ensure that the chances of a "genuine" Lingayat are not spoiled by the candidature of Mr. Patil, the mahasabha said in a statement: "We categorically oppose the idea of Mr. Patil being treated as a Veerashaiva Lingayat. The mahasabha requests that Mr. Patil should not be considered a member of the community by the Congress or by any other party."

`Don't mislead people'

The mahasabha said that considering Mr. Patil a Lingayat and supporting his candidature for KPCC President's post will only mislead the public and misguide the Congress President, Sonia Gandhi.

Mr. Patil is from the Namadhari community of the Vaishnava tradition, and his father, the late K.H. Patil is identified with the Namadhari Reddy community.

There is a Reddy Jana Sangha with which the Patils have been closely involved, Mr. Nagendrappa said.

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