Karnataka CM tasks two ministers with Panchamasali row firefight

BENGALURU : Under attack from his own community’s sect, even as his political rivals make hay, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa is all set to deploy his ministers and MLAs from the Panchamasali Lingayat grouping to firefight his latest conundrum. The Panchamasali Lingayats, who are demanding reservation under 2A category, held a massive rally in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Unable to respond directly, lest it fans the embers, leading to a full revolt and damaging his image as the undisputed mass leader of the Lingayats, Yediyurappa is looking to entrust the task of tackling the precarious situation to Mines and Geology Minister Murugesh Nirani and Small Scale Industries and Information Minister C C Patil. 

After the two ministers’ failed attempt to woo thousands of Panchamasali Lingayats, who had gathered in Bengaluru on Sunday demanding reservation, the duo, flanked by BJP legislators from the community, will have a solidarity show with the CM through a press conference on Monday. 

Ministers mull talks with seers

The ministers’ attempts to dissuade the community from continuing the protest ended in booing from the crowds, ultimatums from seers who are leading the protests and culminated in the duo leaving in a huff, disappointed. “The CM wants the overall welfare of the community. He has, in fact, already written to the Backward Classes Commission to conduct a study and submit a report. My request to the community members is to have patience and trust the government.

We are making all efforts to bring the Panchamasali community under the 2A category,” Murugesh Nirani told TNIE. BJP sources said the general perception within the party was that politics is being played out to embarrass the CM and the BJP governments at the State and Centre. The ministers and the legislators are set to use back-channel talks with the community seers and leaders to compel them to put off the agitation for some time while also defending the government publicly.

In both attempts, the CM is keen on steering clear of a direct dialogue. Sources close to CM suggested he is more keen on including the Veerashaiva-Lingayats as a whole in the Centre’s OBC list. “There was no need for a religious head, claiming to be fighting for the community’s reservation, to praise Congress’ Vinay Kulkarni who is accused of murdering a BJP leader, on stage. Yatnal, who has been abusing the CM, was allowed to use the stage to launch vulgar attacks. People like Kashappanavar are fuelling the stir with the sole purpose of maligning BJP and CM’s image,” alleged a BJP legislator from the community.