BENGALURU: Former Bengaluru deputy mayor BS Puttaraju, who was not given the Congress ticket from Rajajinagar, has threatened to turn rebel. Puttaraju, a Lingayat, held a meeting at the Ram Mandir grounds on Monday, attended by about a thousand of his supporters, and apprised them of the situation.
Puttaraju was among the few names suggested by the Veerashaiva Mahasabha when Mahasabha president Shamanur Sivashankarappa met AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge to discuss candidates for assembly tickets. The Mahasabha informed Kharge that of about 100 seats in the south of the state, the community was seeking 10 seats. Mahasabha secretary Renuka Prasanna said they have sought 10 seats, “but even if six or seven seats are given, it is fine”.
Puttaraju told TNIE, “Lingayats are supporting the Congress in a much bigger way this time. There are 15 lakh Lingayats in Bengaluru City, Bengaluru Rural and Ramanagara areas, but we have not got a single ticket. By contrast, Vokkaligas, who number 25 per cent, have got 18 seats. Brahmins have got three seats, though their numbers are negligible.’’ Lingayats account for 17-18% of the state population.
While Lingayats are happy that they have been given seats in Chikkanayakanhalli, Tiptur and Gundlupet, they are also seeking tickets from Chikkamagaluru, Kadur-Tarikere, Chitradurga and Belur in Hassan, which are yet to be considered. Community leaders are also seeking Chickpet for former mayor Gangambike, as the area has a large number of Lingayats.
Their argument is that only if Lingayats are better represented by way of tickets, will the community give
more support to the Congress. In addition to the Veerashaiva Mahasabha, various pontiffs have spoken to Kharge, CLP leader Siddaramaiah and KPCC president DK Shivakumar, urging for greater representation. Whether the Congress recognises the Lingayats’ legitimate claim for more seats and reaps a harvest of votes remains to be seen.
