This news article from Press Trust of India reports that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, while invoking 12th century social reformer Basavanna on his birth anniversary in Karnataka, declared that the BJP government in the state is the “most corrupt in the country”. He claimed that the Congress party would win 150 seats in Karnataka out of the total 224 in the upcoming Assembly polls, while the “40 per cent BJP government” would get only 40 seats. He was referring to complaints from contractors that the BJP government in the state had allegedly sought 40 per cent commission from them for government contracts. Gandhi also accused the BJP and RSS of creating an atmosphere of hatred and violence in the country, despite speaking about Basavanna in their speeches but not following his teachings. The article also notes that this visit by Gandhi is seen as an attempt by the Congress to bolster Lingayat outreach ahead of the elections, as Lingayats are a dominant community in the state and largely seen as the ruling BJP’s vote bank.
This visit of Mr Gandhi is seen as an attempt by the Congress to bolster Lingayat outreach ahead of the May 10 Assembly polls. Lingayats are a dominant community constituting about 17 per cent of the State’s population, largely seen as the ruling BJP’s vote bank. Mr Gandhi, earlier today began his two-day visit to poll-bound Karnataka from Kudala Sangama, where he offered obeisance to Basaveshwara, also known as Basavanna, on his birth anniversary, celebrated as Basava Jayanti. Basavanna is the founder of the Lingayat sect.
