Powered by
Sponsored by

Lingayat seer says Rahul Gandhi will become prime minister, cites a reason

Gandhi has been initiated into Lingayat sect

rahul-seer

Haveri Hosamutt Swami, a Lingayat seer at Sri Murugarajendra Mutt in Karnataka's Chitradurga, on Wednesday, said Rahul Gandhi will become the prime minister of India, but offered a clarification.

Gandhi was meeting with the seers when one of them said Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, who visited the mutt, became prime minister and now that Rahul Gandhi has been initiated into the Lingayat sect, he too will become the prime minister, reported NDTV.

Another seer, Sri Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, who is the pontiff of the mutt, reminded Hosamutt Swami that it is the people who decide who the next prime minister will be and this is not the platform to say such things.

The Congress leader was initiated into the Lingayat sect by Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru in the presence of various party leaders and seers.

"It is an absolute honour to visit Sri Jagadguru Murugharajendra Vidyapeetha and receive the 'Ishtalinga Deekshe' from Dr. Sri Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru", Gandhi tweeted.

The dominant Lingayat sect was founded in the 12th century by social reformer and poet Basaveshwara, who has a huge following in Karnataka and some neighbouring regions of the state such as Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and his predecessor B.S. Yeddiyurappa hail from the sect, which form 17 per cent of the state's population and has been tradiionally supporting the BJP.

Rahul Gandhi was in Karnataka to attend political affairs committee meeting and also to take part in former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's 75th birthday celebrations on Wednesday.

With PTI inputs

📣 The Week is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TheWeekmagazine) and stay updated with the latest headlines