Seers, sowers, and seminaries: Caste politics in Karnataka

Caste plays a major role in Karnataka as anywhere in India. Karnataka has two major castes namely Lingayats and Vokkaligas. In Karnataka, caste and polls go hand in hand. Politicians from BJP, Congress, and JDS have all took advantage of the caste card to their stability. The two major communities – Lingayats and Vokkaligas – have dominated the poll technique in Karnataka for decades. Lingayats are more in North Karnataka. They are also spread over in Southern Karnataka well. Other leading castes are Dalits. Extremely backward supports BJP and the other supports congress. OBC’s are also divided between BJP and Congress.

Caste politics is whatever one wants but new for Karnataka. The gradual breakdown of the Janata Dal in the late 1990s enabled the BJP to make its place in South India. Karnataka evolved as the first state down South to glimpse the rightist Bhartiya Janata Party accomplishing power.

The function of mutts and seers has grown up over the years. Till the 1980s, mutts and seers were the only ones who simply engaged in social and religious matters. However, that began to change as many seers started to receive involved in politics and grow seeds of casteism.

Ever since well-known politicians cutting across party lines have been spending periodic visits to mutts and exploring the assurance of the seers formerly of a political dilemma or elections.

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, from the dominant Lingayat Community, has been blooming in gathering the assistance of several prime seers in the state, in his fight to protect his position.

Since he returned from his Delhi trip, various Lingayat seers have been coming together to meet him and frankly conveying their support for him. Several seers have even instructed the saffron party of consequences if there is a difference of leadership in the state.