Dingaleshwar Swami meets Sufi peer seeking support

Fakira Dingaleshwar Swami seeks support from Sufi peer in Hubballi for independent candidacy in Dharwad Lok Sabha elections.

Fakira Dingaleshwar Swami of Shirahatti Fakkireshwar Mutt, who is all set to file his nomination papers as an independent candidate for the elections to the Dharwad Lok Sabha Constituency, visited the residence of a peer of the Sufi tradition in Hubballi on Wednesday seeking his support.

Fakira Dingaleshwar Swami visited the residence of president of All Karnataka Sadat O Mashaik Mission Peer Sayed Ahmed Raza Sirkazi at Shantinagar in Keshwapur locality of Hubballi and held talks with him for some time.

Later, addressing a joint press conference, Peer Sayed Ahmed Raza Sirkazi said that the seer is more secular than any secular political party as the mutt he heads follows a syncretic tradition.

“It would have been better if the Congress had chosen the swami as its candidate. However, every party has its own reasons to choose a candidate. But it is a good thing that the seer has come out to contest the election in the interest of the region. We need some time to hold discussion with our followers and then, we will intimate the seer about the community’s decision,” he said.

To a query, he said that whether to support the swami or any political party during the Lok Sabha elections will be decided after consultation.

Terming the elections to the Dharwad Lok Sabha Constituency as Dharma Yuddha (Holy War), Fakira Dingaleshwar Swami said that it is not his election but an election of the voters.

He said that he will file his nomination papers on Thursday and there will be no show of strength as the political parties do.