BENGALURU: As the Lingayat-Veerashaiva controversy rages, and political pundits term it a major blow to the BJP’s vote bank, the saffron outfit is launching a counter-offensive by trying to divide the Ahinda (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) vote, which primarily favours chief minister Siddaramaiah.
While all attention during
BJP national president Amit Shah’s visit to Central Karnataka was on his Lingayat mutt tour, his 43-minute meeting with the influential Dalit mutt seer Madhara Chennaiah in Chitradurga was perhaps the party’s more pertinent Dalit outreach.
The mutt’s sway towards the BJP is clear. “We had a long and fruitful discussion. Shah assured us of a resolution for the demand of our (Madiga) community in securing internal reservation, if BJP and B S Yeddyurappa come to power,” Chennaiah swami told TOI.
Chennaiah has become the face of the Madigas (left sect among Dalits) due to his spiritual and political influence over the community. With a population of over 1.5 crore, the Madigas are an influential vote and the mutt holds sway over the community, spread primarily in Chitradurga, Davanagere and the adjoining districts.
The community has been demanding internal reservation in the scheduled caste quota, considering the population is one of the highest in the community. However, the
Congress government had kept its demand in abeyance and tried to appease the community by setting up a Madiga development corporation.
Sources close to Chennaiah said the mutt’s “anti-Congress” stance is also fuelled by infighting between the seer and social welfare minister H Anjaneya, earlier the mutt’s treasurer. So there is personal stake in funneling the Madigas towards the BJP. This, despite Kolar MP K H Muniyappa being an office-bearer of the mutt.
Asked whether he was keen on contesting polls, Chennaiah said: “I am not politically inclined at this point of time, but will give my blessings to whoever contests against the welfare minister.”
It is speculated that Chennaiah may consider a ticket in the 2019 parliamentary polls, with parallels being drawn between him and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath. The seer, in his 40s, has a “direct approach” with the people, though he dismissed the comparisons, saying Adityanath is an experienced politician.
Asked if he would tilt towards the Congress, he said: “We are a secular mutt but the community is questioning: how many times has the chief minister come and met the pontiff? Shah came all the way from Delhi to meet us. We don’t need to give any message to the people, it is understood.”
