Rahul Gandhi was marking attendance at Lingayat Math, on the other hand, Siddaramaiah’s statement spoiled the game

Regarding the Lingayat leaders who left the BJP and joined the Congress, it was believed that the Congress would benefit from this in the Karnataka assembly elections. Rahul Gandhi also visited Karnataka and the focus was on wooing the Lingayat votes. To increase his outreach to the Lingayat community, Rahul Gandhi arrived at Kudala Sangama in Karnataka’s Bagalkot district to participate in the Basava Jayanti celebrations. He also went to the Lingayat Math, but in the meantime, a ruckus has started over Siddaramaiah’s ‘corrupt Lingayat CM’ statement.

Gadgad Congress is practicing Lingayat

The party was in a jubilation after senior Lingayat leaders Jagadish Shettar and Laxman Savadi joined the Congress. Enthused to break the BJP’s Lingayat vote bank, the work of wooing the community was started. The samadhi of Guru Basavanna (the 12th century social reformer who founded the Lingayat religion) is located at Kudal Sangam. Rahul Gandhi reached here and indicated through the Congress program that he is with the Lingayats.

Siddaramaiah turned the tide on Rahul Gandhi’s efforts?

The former Congress president also visited the Sangameshwar temple and Basavanna’s samadhi. Participated in the Basava Jayanti program organized at the venue and gave a message to the Lingayat community. He went to the Lingayat Math and met the abbots here. Here senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah’s controversial comment on Lingayat has come as a big relief for the BJP.

What did Siddaramaiah say?

Siddaramaiah said on Sunday, “There is already a Lingayat chief minister (Basavaraj Bommai). He is the root of all corruption in Karnataka. A debate broke out on his statement. Although Siddaramaiah clarified about the statement when there was a controversy. He said that his remarks were specifically against Bommai and not the entire Lingayat community. Siddaramaiah also accused the BJP of misrepresenting his statement. He said that his comments with special reference to Bommai were being deliberately misconstrued as the entire Lingayat community.

BJP grabbed the opportunity

Coming to the loss of Lingayat votes in Karnataka, the BJP immediately latched onto Siddaramaiah’s statement. Hitting out at the former chief minister’s comments, the BJP said the Congress’s allegation of neglecting the Lingayat community has been proved true since the informal removal of Virendra Patil. The Congress leader’s remarks were interpreted as the BJP demonizing the entire Lingayat community.

Bommai said – Lingayats will teach a lesson

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said, ‘He has insulted the entire Lingayat community. It is not right for a former CM to make such a statement that the entire Lingayat community is corrupt. The Brahmin community was ridiculed in the past. Earlier, when he was the chief minister, he tried to break the Lingayat-Veerashaiva community. The people of the state will teach a lesson to Siddaramaiah.
Basavaraj Bommai in karnataka Lingayat
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said, ‘He has insulted the entire Lingayat community. It is not right for a former CM to make such a statement that the entire Lingayat community is corrupt. The Brahmin community was ridiculed in the past. Earlier, when he was the chief minister, he had tried to break the Lingayat-Veerashaiva community. The people of the state will teach a lesson to Siddaramaiah.

Why is the Lingayat vote important in Karnataka?

To understand the ongoing tussle between the BJP and the Congress to win the support of Lingayat voters, we must understand the political calculus of Karnataka. Lingayat community is counted among the forward castes of Karnataka. The Lingayat community is believed to constitute around 18 percent of the population in Karnataka. The Lingayat community has a virtual monopoly in the districts of northern Karnataka. Out of 224 assembly seats in Karnataka, 110 ie almost half of the assembly seats are decided by the Lingayat community. About 60 MLAs were elected from the Lingayat community in the last assembly elections in 2018. Keeping in view the population of Lingayat community and its political influence, this time Congress is trying its best to make inroads in this strong vote bank of BJP, whereas BJP is also trying to get its strongest vote bank Lingayat community with it in any way. is to be maintained.