Belagavi: It’s a Lingayat stronghold with six of its eight legislators being from the community. Not surprisingly the controversy over a separate religion tag for Lingayats is expected to play a key role in Vijayapura district these coming elections.
With Water Resources Minister and Lingayat leader from Vijayapura, M B Patil playing a prominent role in the movement of the Lingayats for minority status, the issue is taking centre stage in all its eight constituencies these polls.
Until the Minister’s entry into the movement a year ago, the people of Vijayapura were not as involved in the issue .But the attempt of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to project Mr Patil as an alternative Lingayat leader to state BJP chief, B S Yeddyurappa has left them confused.
With most candidates of the constituencies here hailing from the community, it remains to be seen whether Lingayat politics will benefit the Congress or the BJP these elections.
Except for Nagthan (ST reserved) and Vijayapura, all six seats are represented by Lingayat legislators. And during the previous term, seven of the eight constituencies had legislators from the Panchamsali Lingayat community, the most powerful Lingayat sub-caste.
“The Lingayat movement has put the Lingayats of Vijayapura district in a dilemma. And most candidates from the community have adopted a neutral stand on the issue ahead of the polls as they are not sure what the mood is. If the Lingayat issue backfires, some Congress candidates will certainly be impacted,'' said Mr Mahesh Shetgar , a member of the Lingayat community from Vijayapura.
Even the BJP's only MLA from Vijayapura, Ramesh Bhusnur has neither supported nor opposed the movement for a minority tag for the community, although his party is dead against it.
While it’s hard to tell what the people here really want, most rallies organised by Lingayats for a separate religion in Vijayapura and neighouring Bagalkot and Belagavi districts have received a massive response, indicating that they may be in favour of it. But on the other hand they may not be as some believe the Lingayats turned out for the rallies more in support of popular candidates rather than the cause itself.
