Kudalasangama Panchamasali Peeth seer Basava Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami, who is leading an agitation demanding Category 2A reservation for the Panchamasali Lingayats, met former prime minister H D Deve Gowda on Saturday.
While the Gowda family claimed it was a courtesy meeting, the seer himself said that he sought the JD(S) supremo's support for the agitation. "It is true that I came to check on Deve Gowda's health as I could not visit him when he was hospitalised. Meanwhile, I sought his support for the agitation seeking 2A reservation for Panchamasalis," said the seer.
The seer even mentioned that he has requested Gowda to mount pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on the reservation issue. "Deve Gowda has been with our community since he was the chief minister and his support will always be with us in reservation agitation," the seer stated.
JD(S) legislature party leader H D Kumaraswamy, however, said, "It was just a courtesy meeting and there was no political discussion between the seer and Deve Gowda."