Days ahead of the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections, Dingaleshwar Swami, the head of a Lingayat mutt in Shirahatti, withdrew his nomination on Monday. He had earlier filed his nomination as an independent candidate against Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Pralhad Joshi from Karnataka's Dharwad constituency.
Swami's decision is reportedly influenced by the recent murder case of a Lingayat girl in Hubli. Earlier today, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had urged Swami to support the Congress by withdrawing his nomination papers.
Dingaleshwar's decision to step back from the electoral fray comes at a critical juncture, as the race for the Dharwad parliamentary seat heats up with the formidable presence of Union Minister Pralhad Joshi. The Lingayat seer's initial entry into the contest had injected a new dynamic into the electoral dynamics of the region, with many anticipating a fierce battle.
Dingaleshwar Swami had come to the electoral fray after he and his followers accused Joshi of suppressing Lingayat and other leaders. However, with Dingaleshwar's sudden withdrawal, the political calculus in Dharwad undergoes a significant transformation, potentially reshaping the strategies and alliances among competing parties. Dharwad has been the BJP's stronghold since 2009 and the party has fielded incumbent MP Pralhad Joshi for the fifth time against Congress candidate and new face Vinod Asooti.
