As the May 12 Karnataka Assembly polls are fast approaching to decide the fate of both the ruling Congress and the challenging Opposition BJP, many in the corridor of power think that the gamble and so-called masterstroke to split lingayats and Veerashaivas and accord minority status may not yield any results.
It was Siddaramaiah who played this card very well and Congress thought the division of lingayats would break the BJP’s lingayat vote bank. But a senior Congress party leader on the condition of anonymity said “the decision of by Siddaramaiah will not benefit the Congress but to them (lingayats) in many ways. I strongly feel this decision of the Congress will not yield any results as they vote solidly to BJP”. “They (BJP) also still have the advantage of Modi which is a reality. We might get some percentage of this votes but it is already there,” he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will tour Karnataka and is expected to campaign for the party vigorously.
Siddaramaiah in his clever political maneuvers ahead of polls on March 19th took a historic decision to split Veerashaivas and lingayats, the followers of 12th century social reformer Basavanna. Even though the demand for the separate religion status was very old Siddaramaiah thought it would help him and his party consolidate and decided to split the community and accord a separate status to them. Officially the decision is still pending with the central government for its approval.
However a senior Congress leader and MlC Mohan Kondajji strongly argues and says that the decision of the Chief Minister to divide lingayats will certainly have positive impact on the century old party.
He said “ I am sure the decision to accord minority status to lingayats will have impact and we are going to form the Government. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah only helped the long pending demands of the community for a separate religion status.”
lingayat constitutes around 17 to 19 percent of the population in Karnataka and this community has always been in support of non Congress Government in Karnataka. According to some reports the community feels that the deacon will not hold good and it is only an election gimmick by the Congress party. They also feel that the benefits out of this status will not be seen till the centre clears. The community is also confused about the decision and finds this vague ahead of polls.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s decision to bring his son Dr. Yathindra a political novice to contest from Chamundeshwari constituency from Mysuru and his decision to contest from two constituencies have upset the party insiders.
Meanwhile report suggests that the left of the dalits are upset with the party as many have not been accommodated in the congress list. This might pose a tough posture to the party as in many constituencies they are deciding factor.
However another Congress leader said the pro active social welfare schemes doled out by Siddaramaiah to the poorer section has changed the dynamics and this might help the government to fight anti incumbency.
Meanwhile in Mysuru in his lengthy address to the media before filing his nomination papers Siddaramaiah said that the party’s victory in Karnataka would foretell its win in the 2019 general elections. Siddaramaiah said that the Congress had succeeded in fulfilling all the 165 promises it had made in the manifesto, after coming to power five years ago. The Congress had won 122 seats in the assembly elections in 2013.
He said that he had found no signs of anti-incumbency during the state-wide tour. “We explain development programmes initiated in the past five years without making any personal attacks, but BJP leaders including Prime Minister are making baseless allegations. So, I had to make a few political statements against them since remaining silent would have sent a wrong message to the people,” the CM said.
Charging BJP leaders of indulging in ‘ugly politics’, the CM said that he was a better Hindu than those in the saffron party since he believed in humanitarian values.
“Hindus and Muslims died in Dakshina Kannada, but the BJP leaders visited the homes of only Hindu victims. BS Yeddyurappa is visiting homes of Dalits for breakfast, which is an election gimmick.
He never visited homes of Dalits, when he was the CM. The Indian Constitution has abolished untouchability, but BJP leaders are humiliating Dalits by visiting their homes,” Siddaramaiah said.