Vokkaliga factor: Cong goes after HDK as poll battle rages

The Congress, flush from the support it received from the dominant Vokkaligas in the Assembly polls last year, is aggressively posturing to retain the community’s support for the Lok Sabha election against the BJP-JD(S) alliance.

Congress’ Vokkaliga lawmakers, right from Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, have been targeting JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy by raking up issues from the past. Kumaraswamy is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Mandya, the Vokkaliga heartland. 

Vokkaligas claim that they account for 16% of the state’s population. This community’s votes are crucial for both Congress and the BJP-JD(S) alliance. 

It is said that Congress is wary of losing the gains it made in the Old Mysuru region, particularly in Mandya where the party won six out of eight constituencies that fall under the Lok Sabha seat. This was apparently due to consolidation of Vokkaliga votes to see Shivakumar become the CM. 

Like he did during the Assembly polls, Shivakumar has been using his chief ministerial ambition to keep the party’s Vokkaliga support base intact for the Lok Sabha election.

Agriculture Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy and Magadi MLA H C Balakrishna have been lashing out at Kumaraswamy, ostensibly to scuttle his chances of regaining the Vokkaligas’ confidence. 

Earlier this week, Vokkaliga leaders from BJP and JD(S) visited the Adichunchunagiri Mutt to seek the blessings of Nirmalanandanatha Swami, an influential pontiff. The visit came days after Congress’ Vokkaliga candidates also met him. 

Shivakumar spoke strongly about this. He even wondered if Nirmalanandanatha Swami had the “strength” to question the alliance on why Kumaraswamy’s government was toppled in 2019. 

Balakrishna accused Kumaraswamy and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda of creating a ‘parallel’ Vokkaliga mutt to diminish the influence of Adichunchunagiri. He also remembered allegations that Kumaraswamy, as chief minister in the JD(S)-Congress coalition government, ordered snooping on the Adichunchunagiri pontiff. This was revealed after BJP came to power in 2019. 

Shivakumar’s brother D K Suresh, who is seeking re-election from Bangalore Rural, said no party can claim ownership of the Vokkaliga community’s support. “The Vokkaliga community, along with others, is supporting Shivakumar who is the Karnataka Congress president,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the Congress on Friday lodged a complaint against Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka and other BJP members for “using the premises” of the Adichunchunagiri Mutt to solicit Vokkaliga votes. “Ashoka has projected as though chief pontiff of Sri Adichunchangiri Mutt has supported BJP (sic),” the complaint stated. Earlier, the BJP had lodged a complaint against Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for his statement on the Vokkaliga community.