Bengaluru: Politically dominant castes-Lingayats and Vokkligas in Karnataka occupy top posts in Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with the State unit president going for Lingayat community MLA B.Y. Vijayendra while the Leader of Opposition post went for Vokkaliga community represented by R. Ashok. The move by the BJP is to lure the votes of dominant castes for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.
A week back, B.Y. Vijayendra, a first time MLA and son of former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, a strong man of Lingayat community, was appointed as the State unit BJP chief in place of outgoing president Nalin Kumar Kateel.
Vijayendra, representing Shikaripura Assembly seat, was chosen for the post of State president considering his father having considerable clout over Lingayat community and Lingayat community are in large numbers in north Karnataka region.
The Leader of Opposition R. Ashok, a seven-time MLA, belongs to Vokkaliga community and Vokkaligas are more concentrated in south Karnataka. Ashok represents Padmanabhanagar seat in Bengaluru city. It is speculated that BJP has chosen Vijayendra and Ashok working out caste calculations considering that the Lok Sabha elections are round the corner.
Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, BJP MLA from Vijayapura in north Karnataka had demanded representation for leaders of north Karnataka in BJP.
Now, Janata Dal Secular (JDS) is a major force in south Karnataka and JDS is in alliance with the BJP to fight the Lok Sabha polls in 2024. JDS has the reputation of being a Vokkaliga backed party in Karnataka and JDS supremo and former Chief Minister H.D. Devegowda is considered as the tallest leader of the Vokkaliga community. Devegowda’s son and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy is another strong man of Vokkaliga community.
However, having ta of being a Vokkaliga backed party, JDS performance in 2023 Assembly polls was not impressive in south Karnataka in particular. Its nominees lost in six Assembly seats in Mandya which is a JDS bastion. In Mysuru district, falling in south Karnataka, JDS nominees won in two seats out of 11 seats. The Congress party made inroads into the JDS votes and its six candidates won in Mandya and in Mysuru district, the Congress nominees won in 8 of the 11 seats.
R. Ashok contested from dual seats-Padmanabhanagar and Kanakapura Assembly seat in the 2023 elections. Ashok, a BJP nominee was trounced by Congress nominee D.K. Shivakumar by a margin of 1.22 lakh votes. However, Ashok retained Padmanabhanagar seat and entered the Assembly. Presently, D.K. Shivakumar is the Deputy Chief Minister and a strong Vokkaliga leader.
R. Ashok after being elected as the Leader of Opposition stated to strive hard to win 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka. While, H.D. Kumaraswamy and D.K. Shivakumar wished Ashok on his election as Leader of Opposition.
