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TV9 Discussion: `Congress Ge Lingayatara Matha`:Lingayat Pontiffs 'Support' Siddaramaiah, Ask BJP to Back Minority Religion Claim

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A meeting of about 30 Lingayat pontiffs, including four powerful senior swamis, expressed support for Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah who has backed their demand for a separate minority religion status.

Lingayats, who have supported the BJP from the late 1990s, influence an estimated 123 of Karnataka's 224 assembly constituencies. Such a public expression of support for an individual or political party ahead of state assembly elections has not been done in the last Few decades. Karnataka goes to polls on May 12.

Pontiff Maate Mahadevi, who has a lot of clout in North Karnataka, said after the meeting: "Siddaramaiah has supported our demand. We will support him."

Another pontiff, Murugarajendra swami, who gave a memorandum to BJP president Amit Shah, asking him to support the demand for a separate religion, said: "We will support those who support us."

To a specific query on whether this meant support to Congress, as Shah has already said the BJP is against it, the swami said: "You can read it like that."

Jai Mrutyunjaya swami of the mutt at Koodalasangama, the samadhi of Lingayatism founder Basaveshwara, said: "Who is Amit Shah to make this statement? (About not dividing Veerashaivas from Lingayats.)"

In a decision fraught with political implications, the state government had last month decided to recommend to the Centre grant of religious minority tag for the numerically strong Lingayat and Veerashaiva Lingayat community.

Lingayats/Veerashaivas, estimated to form 17 per cent of the state population, are considered the BJP's traditional voter base.

The move is seen as an attempt by Congress chief minister Siddaramaiah to wean away a section of them towards the Congress, though the BJP maintains it would backfire badly.