Amit Shah in Mysuru to win back Lingayats, whose votes helped Congress win assembly polls
Amit Shah is in Mysuru today to participate in the Suttur Jatra Mahotsav, a six-day annual celebration with cultural and folk events.
He will later take stock of the BJP’s election preparedness at a strategy meeting with leaders from the four seats of Mysuru-Kodagu, Chamarajanagar, Mandya and Hassan.
The Suttur fair, organised by the local Suttur mutt, is revered by Veerashaiva-Lingayats, the State’s largest community and draws more than two million people.
Shah’s visit to the famous religious centre of Veerashaiva-Lingayats comes at a time the community leaders have not been happy with the frequent statements from the state government. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has often expressed his inclination to accept the caste census report, despite resistance from Lingayats and Vokkaligas, insisting that there is no point in rejecting it before placing it in the public domain and understanding the contents.
Shah’s interaction with the Suttur seer and addressing the gathering is aimed at influencing and winning back the Lingayat voters, a big chunk of whom voted for the Congress in the May assembly polls helping the grand old party form the government. The community at its convention at Davanagere in December, passed a resolution urging Siddaramaiah to junk the caste census report, and order a fresh one in an apolitical gathering that included ministers, and both Congress and BJP MLAs.
Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats, of which the BJP won 25 on its own in the 2019 election, and the Mandya seat by backing the
