Viswhesha Tirtha Swami of Pejawar Mutt, who is the senior-most among the seers of the Ashta Mutts of Udupi, said on Saturday that the decision to contest or not contest the Assembly elections was left to the Shiroor seer.
Reacting to Shiroor Mutt’s Laxmivara Tirtha Swami’s decision to contest as an independent candidate from Udupi Assembly constituency, the Pejawar seer said in a democracy matters such as contesting elections was left to individuals. “I neither support nor oppose it. I have nothing to say on it,” he said.
Asked if the Shiroor seer had sought his advice, he said: “I did not know about it, I only learnt about it now.”
On the Shiroor seer being the second seer (after Rajashekarananda Swami of Vajradehi Mutt) from the coastal districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada showing interest to contest Assembly elections, he said: “I have no opinion to offer. It is their desire. But I will not contest any elections.”
On the Shiroor seer’s charge that the local Udupi BJP unit was mired in corruption and not bothered about people’s problems, the Pejawar seer said he did not know about it but such charges should be backed with proof.