Bengaluru, 30 April (). Congress leader Rahul Gandhi surprised everyone by reaching out to the Lingayat community ahead of the May 10 assembly elections in Karnataka. However, the question remains in the political circles whether he will be able to swing the Lingayat vote bank towards the Congress and bring it to power?
Why is there so much emphasis on his outreach among Lingayats? Why has the BJP been rattled by his access to Lingayat leaders, former chief minister Jagadish Shettar and former deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi, and his allegations? Why are Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Smriti Irani, Dharmendra Pradhan and other national BJP leaders reaching out to cities to ensure BJP’s victory in elections?
Senior journalist and political analyst B. Speaking to , Sameelulla said that all this is being done to swing five per cent votes in favor of the Congress in Karnataka.
In the last assembly elections, the Congress got 38 per cent vote share. The BJP got 36 percent of the vote, but emerged as the single largest party by winning more seats. JD(S) got 18 per cent votes. Now the victory of the national parties which have created a new vote bank is expected.
The Congress is expecting around 5 per cent votes, he said. For this, the party will have to get new votes.
With the developments of Lingayat leaders exiting the BJP, the Congress is expected to increase 3 per cent of Lingayat votes and 2 per cent of Vokkaliga votes, he told . If the Congress manages it, it will have a majority.
Knowing this well, Rahul Gandhi plans to visit Kudal Sangma, where the samadhi of 12th century reformer Basavanna is located. On the other hand, Shettar started raising voice that Lingayats have been sidelined in BJP, in this background Rahul’s visit assumes significance.
According to party sources, Rahul Gandhi’s scathing attack on the BJP and its ideology as opposed to Basavanna’s is aimed at garnering five per cent swing votes to the Congress.
Congress insiders have also said that Union Home Minister, BJP National President J.P. Nadda and other central leaders are reaching out to people in cities in every nook and corner of the state to prevent the Congress from getting an additional vote swing.
The saffron party is targeting Shettar and forcing him to focus on his constituency.
Samiullah pointed out that the BJP was facing an anti-incumbency wave and the caste factor would not work in its favour.
Congress legal cell secretary Suryamukund Raj told that Rahul Gandhi’s efforts would attract progressive people from the Lingayat community to the Congress.
Raj says the Lingayat community still believes in former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa, but it is easier for the Congress to get an additional 5 per cent votes in the state.
He said, in the last assembly elections, the Congress lost more than 20 seats by a margin of 2,500 to 3,000 votes, especially in the Kalyana Karnataka region. But this time the Congress candidate will emerge victorious. The mining baron-turned-politician Janardhana Reddy factor will also work against the BJP.
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