BENGALURU: BJP which lost many of its prominent Lingayat community leaders to Congress ahead of the Assembly polls apparently got an opportunity to turn the tables against the Grand Old Party over a controversy triggered by Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah.
Asked whether Congress would make a Lingayat a chief minister if the party comes to power, Siddaramaiah said, “Already, a Lingayat is there as chief minister (Bommai), who indulged in corruption and destroyed the state.”
Jumping on to this, BJP alleged that Siddaramaiah who had tried to split the community (over a separate religious status) in the past has now branded the community corrupt which is unpardonable. It is the culture of Congress and hating Veerashaiva Lingayats is in its blood, it charged.
Incidentally, the controversy blew out on Basava Jayanti day and on a day Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was taking part in the Jayanti celebrations at Kudalasangama to win the community’s trust in the party.
Trying to contain the situation, the party did not give Siddaramaiah a chance to speak on the occasion.
Meanwhile, Panchamasali Lingayat seer Sri Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swamiji insisted that Siddaramaiah review and withdraw his statement.
“Lingayat community leaders S Nijalingappa, Veerendra Patil and JH Patel gave good administration. If someone is corrupt in the community, it is wrong to generalise the community as corrupt,” he said.
RSS forces sent BSY to jail: Siddu
Trying to control the damage, All-India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary, Karnataka in-charge, Randeep Singh Surjewala said CLP leader Siddaramaiah meant Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is corrupt as he led a government that indulged in 40 per cent commission. “Even BJP Haveri MLA Nehru Olekar had said that Bommai is corrupt and Siddaramaiah only reiterated it,” he said.
Later in the day, Siddaramaiah released a statement, claiming that BJP’s Lingayat leaders are unaware of the RSS’ ‘Vighnasantoshis’ (destructive forces) conspiracy to eliminate them politically. Instead, they spend their time accusing Congress of being anti-Lingayat, he added.
Siddaramaiah said it was not Congress, but RSS forces that sent Lingayat leader and former chief minister BS Yediyurappa to jail and ended the political careers of community leaders Jagdish Shettar, Laxman Savadi, Sogadu Shivanna, Sanjay Patil and others. He alleged the same RSS forces coerced Lingayat leader V Somanna into contesting from the Varuna constituency, though he does not have a chance of winning.
Pained by Siddu’s remark, says Bommai
CM Basavaraj Bommai said he is pained by ex-CM Siddaramaiah’s ‘corrupt Lingayat CM’ remark. “Siddaramaiah is a senior leader. I did not expect a statement like this from him that has shaken the souls of Lingayats,” he said.