Yediyurappa orders setting up of Karnataka Veerashaiva- Lingayat Development Corporation
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday ordered the formation of a corporation for the all-round development of the politically-influential Veerashaiva Lingayat community in the state.
Yediyurappa, who himself belongs to the community, issued an order for constituting the Karnataka Veerashaiva-Lingayat Development Corporation (KVLDC) with immediate effect.
It came a day after a group of ministers and BJP MLAs led by Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi from the community called on Yediyurappa demanding the setting up of the corporation.
"The state has a huge population of Veerashaiva- Lingayats, of which there are people who are economically, socially, and educationally backward.
"Since there is a need to set Karnataka Veerashaiva- Lingayat Development Corporation for the all-round development of this community, it is ordered to immediately set up this corporation," the Chief Minister said in his order.
The demand by the ministers for a corporation for the Lingayat community came against the backdrop of Yediyurappa's recent announcement establishing the Karnataka Maratha Development Authority earmarking Rs 50 crore.
The decisions to set up the KVLDC and Maratha Development Authority are seen by sections in political circles as an attempt to woo Marathas and Veerashaiva- Lingayats, who are in sizeable numbers in Basava Kalyan assembly segment in Bidar district and Belagavi Lok Sabha constituency, bordering Maharashtra, where by-elections are due.
Bsava Kalyan and Belagavi seats have fallen vacant following the demise of sitting Congress MLA B Narayan Rao and BJP MP Suresh Angadi due to COVID-19 recently.
Congress, however, has earlier dismissed the demand for KVLDC, saying it will not serve any purpose.
Instead, there should be reservation for the Veerashaiva Lingayats in education and government jobs, it said.
However, the Maratha Development Authority has come in for opposition from some pro-Kannada organizations.
They said if the government did not withdraw the decision, they would hold a bandh on December 5.
"We are warning the government. Before December 5, Yediyurappa should scrap the MDA. If he doesn't do it, we will launch a protest forcing him to resign," Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha head Vatal Nagaraj told reporters on Tuesday.
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CPI(M) rebel Kunhikrishnan hopes for 5,000-vote win in Payyanur
Kannur (Kerala) (PTI): CPI(M) rebel candidate V Kunhikrishnan, who contested as a UDF-backed Independent from Payyanur here, on Saturday said he was hoping to win the Assembly election by a margin of 5,000 votes.
Kunhikrishnan was expelled from the CPI(M) earlier this year after raising allegations of corruption in the party’s martyrs’ fund against sitting MLA T I Madhusoodanan.
Speaking to a TV channel, Kunhikrishnan said he had announced his candidature as a mark of protest and not with expectations of victory.
However, he said the situation had changed drastically, with a strong undercurrent within CPI(M) votes favouring him.
"The undercurrent in CPI(M) votes cannot be measured. Now people are giving a response indicating victory with a margin of at least 5,000 votes," he said.
Payyanur is considered a CPI(M) stronghold, and a defeat for Madhusoodanan there would be a major setback for the party.
On political violence in Payyanur, Kunhikrishnan said he had been facing it since filing his nomination.
"The people leading this violence should think about how long they can continue it. It is the police which has to take the initiative to stop this violence as part of maintaining law and order. But the police are not intervening at the required level," he said.
Regarding his political future, Kunhikrishnan said efforts were underway to strengthen Left groups, and discussions were being held across Kerala in that regard.
"After discussing with others, a decision will be taken," he said.
Kunhikrishnan is among six former CPI(M) leaders who either exited the party or were suspended before contesting for the UDF in the April 9 Assembly elections.
Elections to the 140-seat Kerala Assembly were held on April 9, and the counting of votes will be held on May 4.
