Karnataka: BJP alleges caste angle in Cong’s ‘PayCM’ campaign, party hits back

The BJP claimed that the opposition was targeting the chief minister because he is from the dominant Lingayat community.

Days after the Karnataka unit of Congress put up ‘PayCM’ posters across Bengaluru, with a QR code and chief minister Basavaraj Bommai’s photo with the message “40% accepted here”, a reference to allegations that contractors have to pay 40% commission to get contracts, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday gave the corruption campaign a caste spin.

Congress and JD(S) members hold placards against government, during a legislative council session, in Vidhana Soudha. (PTI)

The BJP claimed that the opposition was targeting the chief minister because he is from the dominant Lingayat community.

“This Congress party has always done the same thing even when Veerendra Patil was the chief minister. Whoever gives good administration, especially if they are from the influential Lingayat community, they try to drag them down,” Dr K Sudhakar, Karnataka’s minister for health, family welfare and medical education, said.

“They (Congress) have targeted them (Lingayats) and always do this. They always target major communities. This is not the first time. They did not spare the then chief minister Kengal Hanumanthiah? Whoever from major communities are there, this is the Congress’ constant approach (towards them),” he added.

The statements come at a time when the Congress has intensified its campaign against corruption allegations against the Bommai government.

Bommai is from the influential Lingayat community and Sudhkar’s insinuation of the Congress targeting this caste group, believed to account for nearly 17% of the state’s electorate, has added a new paradigm to the allegations.

Caste is one of the biggest factors affecting Karnataka’s political spectrum.

The BJP is believed to be backed by the Lingayats, the Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S) reportedly enjoys the support of the Vokkaligas and the Congress is reliant on backward classes, minorities and Dalits.

The chief minister, however, distanced himself from the health minister’s statements.

“I am not associated with that (statements). When such campaigns happen, a few people might have gotten angry but I am not associated with that,” Bommai said, steering clear of the controversy.

The Congress, however, attacked the BJP, stating that it was the saffron party who gave it a caste spin.

Siddaramaiah, the former chief minister and leader of the opposition, said that the state contractors’ association had raised the issue of commission or bribe over a year ago.

“It has been going on for the last one year and we tried to raise the issue. How does caste come in? Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that Siddaramaiah’s government works on 10% commission. What evidence did they have? To hide their own mistakes, they are linking it to caste. Basavaraj Bommai is the chief minister. They have also released a book about me (on alleged corruption scandals). Should I say that they are doing this because I am a Kuruba,” Siddaramaiah said.

He added that it was the BJP that had insulted and removed BS Yediyurappa, the most prominent Lingayat leader from power and sent him to jail.

“Let them (BJP) introspect on how they have treated their own Lingayat leaders. I am saying this as a leader of the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community. In 2012, then chief minister BS Yediyurappa, you (BJP) forced him to step down as chief minister and then sent him to jail. Was it not the BJP who did this? In 2020 (2019), despite not having a majority, they strived to form a government and after that. They said that he is now old, made him cry and then forced him to resign. That day the BJP did not see how the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community was not insulted. They have to answer this,” Eshwar Khandre, the working president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee said on Sunday.