Cong, BJP wooing Lingayats?

BANGALORE: It was not without reason that AICC chief Sonia Gandhi or BJP patriarch L K Advani flew down from New Delhi to small town Badami tucked away in Bagalkot district in Karnataka for the centenary celebrations of Veershaiva Mahasabha on Monday and Tuesday. Both parties are on a wooing exercise of the Lingayats or Veerashaivas, who constitute 22%, the highest, of the state's total population.
While the Congress has much ground to cover, the BJP, beneficiary after the Congress-JD(S) lost the goodwill with the Lingayats, wants to consolidate its position. With chief minister B S Yeddyurappa hailing from the same community, the BJP still does not want to be complacent on the issue.
Of the total 224 assembly constituencies, the Lingayats approximately have a hold in nearly 80 constituencies. Their presence in politics was felt when S Nijalingappa became the chief minister in 1956. Interestingly, his successors were also from the same community, B D Jatti in 1958 and S R Kanthi in 1962 before Nijalingappa returned for another term as CM from 1962-1968 with Veerendra Patil succeeding him. After Patil's term ended in 1971, there was a long gap with the CM's post going to the backward classes (D Devaraj Urs) and two Brahmins (R Gundu Rao and Ramakrishna Hegde), before S R Bommai emerged on the scene for a brief stint in 1988.
Bommai's successor was again Patil, who was summarily replaced, within a year, during former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's tenure. Patil's ouster evoked sympathy from the community cutting across party lines and the message sent across was that Lingayats were being sidelined.
Mixing politics and education, most of the educational institutions in Karnataka are owned by politicians. In north Karnataka, Lingayat politicians from all parties have a stake in the educational field like BJP MP Prabhakar B Kore, former MP B G Jawali and former legislator Bheemanna Khandre.
This community was assiduously wooed by former CM Ramakrishna Hegde, which was one of the reasons for the Janata Parivar to have a hold in north Karnataka then. The Congress lost their goodwill after the removal of Patil. Besides, there is a dearth of good Lingayat leaders in the party.
Presently, the Congress is trying to get JD(S) MP M Rajasekhara Murthy to return to the fold. The latter went to the BJP from Congress before joining JD(S).
Who are Lingayats?
Lingayats or Veerashaivas are worshippers of Shiva in the form of Linga. Followers of the 12th century social reformer Basavanna, their base is Tumkur, Chitradurga, Davanagere and entire north Karnataka districts.
Basavanna's preachings on means of attainment depend on the panchachara (five codes of conduct) and ashtavarana(eight shields) to protect the body as the abode of the Lord. The five codes are Lingachara (daily worship of Shivalinga), sadachara (good conduct), Shivachara (worshipping Shiva as the only God), Bhrityachara (kindness towards all creatures) and ganachara (defence of the community).
The eight shields are guru, linga, jangama (nomadic monk), paduka (water from bathing the linga or guru's feet), prasada (sacred offering), vibhuti(holy ash), rudraksha (beads) and mantra (chanting of Om Namah Shivaya). Kudalasangama in Bagalkot district is the pilgrim centre of the Veerashaivas.
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