BJP’s caste matrix for Karnataka polls: Which community gained most

The BJP's focus in the two lists that it has released for the Karnataka Assembly elections 2023 clearly show the party's focus towards the powerful Vokkaliga community in the state.

Out of the 189 candidates that the party named on Tuesday, 41 tickets have gone to the Vokkaliga community, who make up for nearly 14 per cent of the population in the state. The most tickets have however gone to the Lingayat community, who form 17 per cent of the population. In the second list that the party released on Wednesday, two more Vokkaligas made the cut and the last and final list may have more from the community, a source tells OneIndia.

The BJP has this time decided to go all out and woo the Vokkaliga community. This is primarily because the focus of the party has always been on the Lingayats as a result of which the Vokkaligas have hardly voted for the party. This has resulted in the BJP becoming the single largest party, but has never got the majority numbers.

In the 2018 elections, the BJP had given tickets to only 34 candidates from the Vokkaliga community. In all there are 224 seats in Karnataka.

The Vokkaliga community is important especially in the Old Mysuru Region, which has 89 seats. This also includes the state's capital Bengaluru. In this region, it is the Janata Dal (S) and Congress which have always emerged as winners.

The Old Mysuru Region is being closely watched this time as it is crucial to all three parties. Whether or not the JD(S) will play kingmaker would depend on the result in this region. The Congress' quest to return to power also largely depends on this region. The BJP, if wants to return to power with a majority will have to do well in this region. Data would show that in 2008, when the BJP put up its best performance, could win just 28 seats in this region. In the 2018 elections, the number was at 23.

In Karnataka in order to form a government, a party needs 113 seats. When the BJP began its campaign, it had made it clear that it needs to focus heavily on this region.

The BJP would be relying on its Vokkaliga leaders and also actor-politician and independent MP from Mandya Sumalatha Ambareesh. She has extended her full support to the BJP and one may recall that she had beaten H D Kumaraswamy's son, Nikhil in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP's ticket matrix:

In all the BJP has so far allowed 51 seats to the Lingayats and 41 to the Vokkaligas. The Reddys have been given two, while the SC (Bhovis), Marathas and Bunts have been given three each. The Valmikis have been given 16 seats.

The SC(Left) and SC (Right) have been given 4 and 5 seats, while the Billava Edigas the number is at 7. Brahmins have been given 10 seats, while the SC (Lambanis), 9. The Moogaveera Best, Golla, Jain, Kodava and Rajput communities have been given one seat each.