Bengaluru: In a big relief to the BJP in Hirekerur by-election, a Lingayat seer who filed nomination papers as a JDS candidate has withdrawn from the contest.Shivalinga Shivacharya seer of the Kabbinakanthi Mutt had filed his papers as a JDS candidate. His decision to contest polls had sent shock waves in the BJP circles as he was expected to eat into the BJP votes making way for an easy win for the Congress.”Fearing a defeat, BJP used the senior Lingayat seers across the state to pressurize him to withdraw. He has succumbed to the demand,” explained a BJP leader.
By-election was necessitated in Hirekerur following the resignation of incumbent MLA, BC Patil of Congress. Now he is contesting as a BJP candidate. It may be recalled that the JDS too decided to field the seer at the last moment so as to defeat the BJP candidate, who was one of the 17 rebel MLAs who revoted against the coalition government and resulted in the fall of the government.
