BJP flag.
Credit: DH File Photo
In a bid to woo the key Dalit voter segment, the BJP has adopted a two-pronged strategy aimed at the Chalavadi and Madiga sub-sects of the Scheduled Castes.
BJP SC Morcha president Cement Manjunath told DH that the the party has carried out Bhima Samaveshas across key districts to convey message that the the party stands with the Chalavadis, while organising Madiga Munnudi to drive home point that the party will not let down Madigas, perceived to be backbone of BJP’s Dalit vote bank.
Evenly spread
Both major Dalit sects are evenly spread out in most parts of the state. While Chalavadis are found in large numbers in Mysuru, Kalaburagi and Bidar districts, Madigas enjoy upper hand among Dalit communities in central Karnataka districts, including Chitradurga, Ballari and parts of Tumakuru and Bengaluru Rural districts.
Manjunath said the party, this time, wanted to woo Chalavadis, who are considered to be Congress’ core voter base.
“We have approached young Right-Dalits with appropriate historical evidence to prove how the Congress ill-treated Dr Ambedkar. We gave them evidence how the country’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru campaigned against Babasaheb during his elections, besides denying the chief architect of the Constitution the MP ticket,” he said.
He said the party was making an all-out effort to groom 10 to 15 Dalit-Right community leaders at booth level in the days to come. The SC Morcha president said that the party had received maximum support from Madigas across the state during the elections.
“With Chalavadi and Madigas being numerically dominant communities within Dalit voter bloc, both sections are always on warpath to secure more political representation. Whenever our party comes to power Madigas are given optimum representation, which the party will continue to do. To convey this message, the party also organised the ‘Madiga Munnudi’ programme, essentially a door-to-door campaign,” he said.