Lingayat CM: The BJP bait that caught Siddaramaiah and Congress unawares

The BJP has sought to stoke sentiments in the Karnataka Assembly elections using Siddaramaiah’s “corrupt Lingayat Chief Minister” remark, saying it amounted to an insult on the whole Lingayat community, even as the Congress sought to downplay the remarks.

A few days back, when asked by a local TV channel about BJP’s demand to have only a Lingayat person as the state’s chief minister, Siddaramaiah had been dismissive when he said: “Already a Lingayat is CM. He has indulged in corruption and spoiled the state.”

BJP lost no time in turning it into an opportunity to attack the Congress, saying Siddaramaiah’s comments had hurt the whole Lingayat community, which is one of the most dominant in Karnataka, and holds the key to power in the state assembly elections.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi demanded an apology from Siddaramaiah, stating that it was an insult to Karnataka. “Now after making comments they are trying to clarify. But we all know what is inside their hearts so that is only coming out,” he said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah campaigning in Yadgir said the Congress has always insulted Lingayats. “Congress had in its long time in power had only two Lingayats as CM. And they removed both of them unceremoniously," he said.

Jagadish Shettar, who had recently jumped ship from BJP to Congress, sought to downplay Siddaramaiah’s comments. “His comment was only on the present CM (Basavaraj) Bommai and not all Lingayat CMs. He did not comment on other Lingayat CMs,” Shettar told news agency ANI. His comments were in apparent reference to the “40% commission” scam allegation that some government contractors had raised against the BJP government led by Bommai.

But BJP is unlikely to cool their heels on the matter. Siddaramaiah’s comments could likely be an indication of the Congress’s unwillingness to have a Lingayat as a Chief Minister. Siddaramaiah, a former CM, is himself an aspirant for the top post. He has been staving off potential contest from fellow party leader and the state Congress chief DK Shivakumar. Both are Vokkaligas, the other dominant community in the state.

But his comments are rather targeted at two recent turncoats — Jagadish Shettar, a former chief minister, and Laxman Savadi, former deputy chief minister — who had jumped ship from BJP to Congress after they were denied tickets.

Both are Lingayats and were welcomed by the Congress with open arms and given tickets to contest the assembly elections. They may likely be given ministerial posts if the Congress forms the government. But the grand old party is unlikely to concede the top post.

The BJP’s campaign has been based on this. While it has not announced its CM candidate, by appointing Basavaraj Bommai in place of BS Yediyurappa, it has strongly signalled its intentions. And by vociferously campaigning for a Lingayat CM, it has only gone on to assert the top post as a right of the community.

The self-goal by Siddaramaiah could likely hurt the Congress in the May 10 elections. But it has sought to fight back by stating that it was the BJP which had insulted Lingayats by side-lining the community’s top leaders.

Removing BS Yediyurappa from the chief minister’s post, denying tickets to Shettar and Savadi are points it has sought to score against the saffron party.

The Congress has accused the BJP of removing the tallest Lingayat leader BS Yediyurappa from the chief minister’s post and replaced him with Bommai. The BJP denying assembly seat tickets to Shettar and Savadi was another insult, they claimed.

Shettar too has been harping on this aspect in his campaigns.

“Many Lingayat leaders left BJP. Hurting my self-respect means hurting the people of the region, which will affect the vote bank of the BJP. The people of the state are wise enough not to cast their vote for BJP,” he said.

He has also been trying to woo local level Lingayat leaders into the Congress fold.

“Byadagi in Haveri district is not in my constituency. There are so many Congress candidates who are asking me to campaign in their constituencies. BJP senior leaders of the Lingayat community have said that they are going to join the Congress and hundreds of followers within one or two days will also join,” he said.

But the BJP has said that the Congress is trying to paint a false image of the party with such statements.

The fight to woo Lingayats will intensify as the election gets closer but for now, the BJP appears to have the upper hand with Siddaramaiah’s self-goal.