HUBBALLI: In an effort to consolidate Lingayat-Panchamasali sect votes, Congress candidate Vinay Kulkarni seems to be attracting the wrath of other sects of the Lingayat community. With Vinay accused of seeking votes along the caste line, Lingayat leaders in both Congress and BJP are now engaged in a war of words and are leading reverse polarisation of other castes against the Congress candidate.
The issue had not taken a serious turn until Vinay personally attacked BJP candidate Pralhad Joshi, saying his re-election could put the Lingayats in peril as he was not allowing other Lingayat leaders to grow. He further accused Joshi of keeping Lingayat leaders Jagadish Shettar and Aravind Bellad as his footman, at a Lingayat community meeting a few days back.
BJP MLAs of the district, belonging to different sects of the Lingayat community, came before the media on Saturday and sharply condemned Vinay for playing the caste card. They said that BJP always has had a high regard for the Lingayats, which was why B S Yeddyurappa and Jagadish Shettar had become chief ministers.
MLA Aravind Bellad said he pitied the Congress party for fielding a candidate trying to divide the Lingayat-Veerashaiva community. “The people who hurt Lingayats sentiments are now seeking to unite the community to defeat the BJP,” he added.
On Sunday, senior JD(S) leader Basavaraj Horatti openly lashed out against BJP Lingayat MLAs for targeting Vinay. Horatti, however, did not stand by Vinay’s personal remark on the BJP candidate and said it was not a fault to seek votes on caste as he belonged to that community.
Amidst the slugfest, Congress leaders are now apprehensive that focusing more on Lingayat votes could backfire. A senior Congress leader said, “Unintended focus on votes of a single sect could antagonise other sects of the Lingayat community.” He also pointed out that other they could consolidate against the party if not treated equally, and added that in both the cases the BJP would benefit.