Lingayat issue: Amit Shah meets chief pontiff of Siddaganga Mutt

New Delhi/Bangalore: BJP national president Amit Shah on Monday met 'Walking God' Sri Sri Shivakumara Swamiji, chief pontiff of Siddaganga Mutt at Tumakuru in Karnataka and sought his blessing."Today I had the good fortune to seek blessings from the 'Walking God' Sri Sri Sri Sh ivakumara Swamiji of Siddhaganga Mutt, Tumakuru. His tireless work even at his advanced age is inspiring. His life is a living lesson and guiding light for all of us,"Mr Shah tweeted along with photographs of his falling on the feet of the popular sage.Emerging out after the meeting, Mr Shah told mediapersons: "This is for the first time I got an opportunity to meet the great sage. I am pleased to get his blessings.....Mere looking at him gives the impression that one has met God".

The meeting is considered significant in the wake of political row sparked off in poll-bound Karnataka after the Congress government in the state has decided to designate Lingayat community as a 'separate religious group'.Lingayats form considerable size of the electorate in the state and the state government move is said to have caused some embarrassment to the BJP as the party was banking on popular Lingayat leader B S Yeddyurappa for the ensuing elections."The blessing of Swamiji will definitely give boost to our strength when the BJP is fighting the elections under the leadership of Yeddyurappa," Mr Amit Shah later said.(UNI)