Congress to take Lingayats into confidence before elections, says MB Patil
BELAGAVI: Recalling how the movement for a separate Lingayat religion was projected in a bad light by several leaders prior to the last assembly elections in the state, former minister and senior Congress leader M B Patil said, the Congress would strive to take all Lingayats in the state into confidence and attempt to make them rally behind the party before the next assembly election.
Patil ruled out any possibilities of leaders making the issue of separate religion for Lingayats an issue in the elections and said, "The issue of separate religion for Lingayats was projected differently by some people when it was raised earlier. And we all know how the leaders played games during that time."
Speaking to media persons in Belagavi on Friday, Patil, who was at the forefront of the movement for a separate religion launched by several leaders of the Congress party before the last assembly election in the state said, the movement for a religion tag to Lingayats began way back in 12th century and attempts were also made by several leaders in late 30s and early 40s in the country. The issue was not at all new, he added.
When asked whether he was being projected as a Lingayat leader, alternative to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Patil said, it was up to the people to decide who was the leader.
"Yediyurappa always has been a tall leader among the Lingayats and he got a massive support from the people. He also has a huge support of most of Lingayat MLAs in North Karnataka region,'' he said.
However, the Congress too had many able Lingayat leaders including Prakash Hukkeri, A B Patil, Eshwar Khandre, etc, who were equally popular in the state.
"The Lingayat supported so strongly to the Congress that it went on to win 186 seats when Veerendra Patil was Chief Minister. But after that, we (Congress party) badly stumbled somewhere. Again, we are trying to get the lost image,'' he said.
Commenting on the ongoing tussle among Congress leaders over the next CM candidate, Patil said, "None could become a self-declared CM candidate in Congress. Our main target currently is to win at least 150 seats in the next assembly election to bounce back to power. It requires at least 125 seats for a party to achieve the majority to form a government. Only when the Congress makes it, the party high command will sent observers and get the consent of MLAs before making the CM candidate final.''