Mysuru: Members of the Lingayat community who are pitted against each other over the raging Lingayat-Veerashaiva issue have resolved to take on Chief Minister Siddharamaiah in the electoral battle from Chamundeshwari Constituency.

At a meeting jointly convened by Veerashaiva Lingayat Hitarakshana Vedike and Mysuru district unit of Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha here on Saturday, prominent leaders of the community resolved to seek the support of former PM and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda to accomplish their task.

Veerashaiva Lingayat Hitarakshana Vedike President C.P. Thammanna speaking to press persons said that the meeting discussed at length on how the growth of leaders from the community, at Chamundeshwari Constituency in particular, was scuttled with the rise of Siddharamaiah.

It was all due to the support of H.D. Deve Gowda as both were in the same party then. Now, Gowda should  extend his support to the community by fielding a Lingayat candidate from Chamundeshwari in the upcoming Assembly polls, he said.

The meeting also resolved to demand political parties to give due preference to community leaders in Assembly segments such as Chamundeshwari, Varuna, K.R. and Periyapatna in Mysuru district, Gundlupet and Hanur in Chamarajanagar district and Melukote in Mandya district.

The meeting also decided to hold a convention at Jaganmohan Palace in city on Feb. 19, followed by a divisional-level convention in March.

Former MLA H.C. Basavaraj, former ZP President K.N. Puttabuddhi, former ZP Vice-President A.S. Channabasappa and other prominent leaders attended the meeting.