The BJP’s caste matrix in Karnataka

Caste plays a major factor in Karnataka, a state that has predominantly been ruled by either powerful Lingayats or Vokkaligas.

For the BJP winning Karnataka is extremely important as it is the only southern state that it has had power. However, the saffron party also had in mind that this is a state which does not usually vote a party back to power. Furthermore, the party has been the single largest party (2004,2008, 2018), but has always not managed to hit the 113 or majority mark.

If one analysis the BJP's performance in the state, it has been largely dependant on the 17 per cent Lingayat population. This time around the party has decided to give equal focus to the Vokkaliga votes who form 14 per cent of the electorate. When the campaign began Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said that if the party has to win big it should do well in the Old-Mysuru Region, which is dominated by the BJP. The BJP's strike rate has been impressive in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, but when it comes to the assembly polls, the scenario has been otherwise.

The BJP has in fact over the past two years stepped up efforts to better its base among the Vokkaliga community. The setting of the Veerashaiva Lingayat Development Authorityand the Vokkaliga Development Board are signs that the party is going all out to woo both communities. Moreover recently the party also ended the 4 per cent reservation for the Muslims and divided it equally among the Lingayats and Vokkaligas.

The carving out of the 2C and 2D categories for both these communities was also seen as an attempt to placate both and make them part of the larger Hindu family.

The inauguration o the 108-foot tall statues of Kempegowda, the founder of Bengaluru and a Vokkaliga is also another attempt that was made to woo the community. Following this Chief Minister, Basavaraj Bommai also inaugurated a statue of Akkamahadevi in Shikaripur, the she-sheer who holds a prominent position in Lingayat Shaiva literature in the state.

The fact that there is no representation for the Vokkaligas in the BJP's list of candidates also shows that the party wants to leave nothing to chance. There are 41 Vokkaligas who have been fielded in the Old-Mysuru Region, while in Kittur Karnataka, 33 Lingayats have been fielded.

While the BJP is going all guns blazing to fix the caste matrix in the state, it has still been hit by rebellion. It is closely watching the developments following the exit of its senior leader, Jagadish Shettar, who belongs to the Lingayat community. While the rebellion storm is pretty high at the moment, the BJP hopes that as the days goes by, it can tide over the same.