Tag: Lingayat

Lingayat Forum a fictional organisation: Karnataka CM Bommai

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Hubballi: The Lingayat Forum is a fictional organisation as it does not exist at all, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Monday.
The Chief Minister told reporters here that Veerashaiva is a very big community and it is not under any organisation. A lot of respect is given to the Veerashaiva Mahasabha, but it is not correct to use any organisation for election purposes.
“If four or five persons say something, does it become the voice of the Lingayats? The Lingayat community is like an ocean. The Lingayat Forum is an organisation that emerged ahead of elections,” he stated.

Bommai said there are no cases against the BJP. The Congress didn’t have any document when the Election Commission asked for it. The Congress leaders who talk about corruption are themselves facing corruption charges and attending courts. With what moral right can they question the BJP?
He said the IT sleuths are in every district and they will have information about where the mistakes happen. The Congress leaders have committed mistakes, what can we do? There will be raids.
The Chief Minister said the BJP’s national leaders have come to Karnataka for all the elections as they have an emotional bond with the people of the state. This will give a big boost to the party.
The campaigning for the May 10 Assembly election ends on Monday.
The Karnataka Lingayita Mattu Veerashaiva Vichara Vedike, a platform of thinkers from the state’s dominant Veerashaiva Lingayat community, gave a call to the community members to defeat the BJP in the elections.

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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 8, 2023
Karnataka Veerashaiva Lingayat Forum backs Congress, issues official letter

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The Karnataka Veerashaiva Lingayat forum has announced its support for the Congress party in the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. The forum has issued an official letter extending its support to Congress, which is seen as a major boost for the party in the crucial Lingayat-dominated regions of the state.
On May 5, Congress leader and prominent Lingayat leader Jagadish Shettar met with seers of the community in Hubbali to seek their support for the party. Shettar, a former chief minister who recently joined Congress after being denied a ticket from the Bharatiya Janata Party, and Laxman Savadi, who formerly served as the deputy CM during the BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government, belong to the Lingayat community which is believed to have a crucial impact on electoral outcomes in the state.
The Lingayat votes have traditionally been a key determinant of electoral outcomes in the state. The community has traditionally sided with the BJP, and several Lingayat-dominated regions of the state are considered to be saffron strongholds. However, with the Karnataka Veerashaiva Lingayat forum extending its support to Congress, the political dynamics in the state could undergo a significant shift.

Lingayats are largely concentrated in north Karnataka, in the districts of Belagavi, Dharwad, and Gadag. They also have a considerable presence in Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Bidar and Raichur. They inhabit vast swathes of South Karnataka, especially Bangalore, Mysore, and Mandya, in big numbers. The community is seen as a key demographic in the state, with their voting preferences often swaying election results.
The 224-seat Assembly polls are slated to take place in a single phase on May 10, and the results will be declared on May 13. The Congress party is hoping to make significant gains in Lingayat-dominated regions, and the support of the Veerashaiva Lingayat forum is expected to be a major factor in this regard.
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#Karnataka #Veerashaiva #Lingayat #Forum #backs #Congress #issues #official #letter
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 7, 2023
Kharge, Siddaramaiah’s statements offer BJP way out of Lingayat humiliation charge

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Bengaluru: As Karnataka inches closer to assembly elections, the BJP and the Congress campaigns are getting nastier as the BJP finds itself pushed into a corner over the way it treated prominent Lingayat leaders, and the Congress on the back-foot because of its leaders’ recent remarks.
The statements by leaders of the grand old party regarding ‘corrupt’ Lingayat chief ministers and comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a ‘poisonous snake’ (later withdrawn) have given the BJP much-needed ammunition to counter the narrative the Congress spun around former CM Jagadish Shettar and ex-Deputy CM Laxman Savadi, both prominent Lingayat leaders, who joined the Congress after quitting the BJP on being denied tickets.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has come down heavily on the Congress over remarks made by Opposition leader Siddaramaiah and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge.

The BJP was waiting for a long time to attack Siddaramaiah as he is a known critic of the RSS and Hindutva.
Siddaramaiah is the only leader from the state to attack PM Modi, Amit Shah and, is still not targeted by any central agencies.
Kharge surprised everyone with his remarks of comparing PM Modi to a poisonous snake. Though he withdrew his statement and maintained that it was issued with reference to Hindutva ideology and the RSS agenda, the BJP got an opportunity to make din, and the humiliation of Lingayat leadership charge was put to back-burner.
While campaigning in Varuna constituency in Mysuru district, Siddaramaiah stated that Lingayat CMs indulged in corruption and destroyed the state.
Though Siddaramaiah clarified that his statement was meant only for current Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, a controversy was stirred.

Kharge, while addressing a public rally at Naregal town of Gajendragarh in Gadag district of Karnataka, stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is like a poisonous snake. Kharge further warned the crowd that if you taste any offers by snake (Modi), you will die.
He also said that the BJP should tell what is its contribution to the country.
“Not even the pet dog of their home had given its life to the country,” Kharge said.
Union Minister Amit Shah who has launched an aggressive campaign in Karnataka declared that attacks on PM Modi will only create ‘waves’ for him and help the BJP.
Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani stated that the Congress is such a party, when an Adivasi woman was made candidate for the post of President, it humiliated her. It had made those who insult Hindu religion as star campaigners.
“Congress seeks support of SDPI, it talks of releasing PFI goons. Today, Congress leaders are again criticising PM Modi. Kharge saheb is older than me. This insecurity does not bring dignity to you,” she said.
V.P. Niranjan Aradhya, an activist and senior academician, told IANS that right from the beginning, “what we are claiming is that no issue concerning people is being discussed at all”.
“Only matters of caste, religion, pitting one community against another is happening.
“The twist in the tale is, so far the general feeling was BJP hated Muslims. Now, they are breaking communities. The attempt to create characters of Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda were created to pit Vokkaligas against Muslims, removal of quota of reservations for Muslims and pit them against Vokkaligas and Lingayats, this is very dirty politics,” Niranjan Aradhya said.
He further said: “Absolutely, there is no morality and value-based politics. Particularly talking about the Constitution and the Constitutional values, fundamental rights, issues are totally absent. With Jagadish Shettar and Laxman Savadi’s exit, it is more or less proved that the BJP is a Brahminical party, completely controlled by the RSS.
“I think the people of Karnataka should think seriously. All these days, it has been about Hindus and Muslims. Not only this, they will not allow Hindus to live peacefully as well. People should think and go by the Constitution. Pluralism, multiculturalism, multilingualism and more than anything diversity are challenged and being erased. This is the right time to take a call,” Niranjan Aradhya added.
The Assembly election in Karnataka is scheduled to be held on May 10 and the result would be announced on May 13.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 30, 2023
Lingayat vote bank appears shaky for ruling BJP in north Karnataka

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Bengaluru: The north Karnataka region known for harmony and peaceful co-existence plays an important role in shaping the political scenario of the state.
Consisting of 13 districts, the voting pattern has seen a paradigm shift. The region, which was a Congress bastion, is now rallying behind the state’s ruling BJP.
The BJP wins a major chunk of seats from north Karnataka and Congress is struggling to return to its days of glory. The JD (S) has managed to show its existence. It appears, though, that cracks have developed in the Lingayat vote bank this time, giving an opportunity to the Congress.
Among the 224 Assembly seats, the region has more than 100. A major chunk of seats are won by the BJP.
After the elevation of Mallikarjun Kharge as the Congress President, the party is hoping to make a comeback.
Political analysts explain that Opposition leader Siddaramaiah and Kharge’s combination will make magic for the party in north Karnataka region.
The ruling BJP in the state draws its core strength from north Karnataka and garners a major chunk of seats from the region.
Lingayat votes, which play an important role in elections in the region, were garnered by the BJP under the leadership of former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, a Lingayat strongman.

However, the ensured vote bank appears to be shaky this time.
A change of guard in the leadership, hostile posture of Lingayat seer Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya Swamiji of Panchamasali sub sect, a war of words between senior BJP leaders of the region seems to affect the ruling BJP.
Gali Janardhana Reddy’s new party Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha is also likely to pose a challenge to both Congress and BJP.
Janardhana Reddy has stated that in spite of national parties not attaching any importance, his party would make an impact in the upcoming Assembly elections.
The Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha is likely to disturb national parties in Kalyan Karnataka region comprising districts of Raichur, Koppal, Kalaburagi, Bidar, Yadgir, Ballary and Vijanaynagara.
Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya Swamiji has attacked Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai for failing to give reservation for Panchamasali sub sect under OBC quota. Vijayapura BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal stated that it is a failure on part of Bommai and he has disappointed the community.
Minister for Large and Medium Industries Murugesh Nirani had charged that the Lingayat seer is acting on the behalf of the Congress.
However, the agitation for reservation is being taken up for years and the issue is likely to hit the prospectus of BJP in the upcoming elections, say analysts.
The BJP has got a shot in the arm by approving DPR for Kalasa-Banduri project which will mitigate the drinking water problem in major districts of north Karnataka.
The Congress has also organised a massive rally for speedy implementation of the project.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kalaburagi and Yadgir districts this month and laying the foundation stone and inauguration of more than Rs 10,000 crore for development works in the region is seen as an attempt to outreach to the people of North Karnataka.
The BJP is expecting a boost in 41 constituencies of the region.
Experts say that this time, it won’t be a cake walk for the saffron part in north Karnataka. However, the BJP camp is upbeat and confident that the Hindutva agenda will work for them.
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#Lingayat #vote #bank #appears #shaky #ruling #BJP #north #Karnataka
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 21, 2023