K’taka Polls 2023: Congress hits Jackpot as Veerashaiva Lingayat Forum backs support; issues letter
Hubballi: In a significant development ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Karnataka, the Karnataka Veerashaiva Lingayat forum has officially declared its support for the Congress party. This announcement is expected to greatly strengthen the Congress party's standing in the crucial Lingayat-dominated areas of the state. The forum has issued an official letter expressing its support, indicating a significant boost for the Congress party in the region.
On May 5, Jagadish Shettar, a popular Lingayat leader and member of the Congress party, held a meeting with seers from the Lingayat community in Hubbali, Seeking their support for the party in the upcoming elections. Shettar, a former chief minister, recently joined the Congress party after being denied a ticket by the Bharatiya Janata Party. Laxman Savadi, who previously served as the deputy chief minister during the tenure of the BJP government led by BS Yediyurappa, also belongs to the Lingayat community.
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The Lingayat votes have long played a crucial role in shaping electoral results in the state of Karnataka. Historically, in the past the community has shown strong support for the BJP, and regions with a significant Lingayat population have often been regarded as strongholds for the saffron party. However, a notable shift in the political landscape might be on the horizon as the Karnataka Veerashaiva Lingayat forum has recently backed the Congress party. This development could bring about significant changes in the political dynamics of the state.
Lingayats hold a significant presence in northern Karnataka, particularly in the districts of Belagavi, Dharwad, and Gadag. They also have a notable population in Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Bidar, and Raichur. In addition, they inhabit substantial areas of South Karnataka, including Bangalore, Mysore, and Mandya, where their numbers are considerable. This community is regarded as a crucial demographic in the state, as their voting preferences frequently influence election outcomes.
Karnataka will go for polls on May 10 and the results will be declared on May 13. Meanwhile, In Lingayat-dominated areas, the Congress party hopes to make significant gains with the Veerashaiva Lingayat forum backing them.
कांग्रेस नेताओं ने कर्नाटक के हुबली में लिंगायत संतों से मुलाकात की#lingayats #KarnatakaElections pic.twitter.com/BSBAKOg8d9
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RR beat RCB by six wickets in IPL
Guwahati (PTI): Blistering fifties by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Dhruv Jurel powered Rajasthan Royals to a six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL match here on Friday.
Sent in to bat, RCB rode on a fighting half-century by skipper Rajat Patidar (63) to post 201 for 8.
Virat Kohli (32), Romario Shepherd (22) and Venkatesh Iyer (29) also chipped in with useful contributions.
In reply, Sooryavanshi (78 off 26 balls) and Dhruv Jurel (81 not out off 43 balls) shared a 37-ball 108-run partnership for the second wicket to set the platform. Krunal Pandya (2/30) tried to bring them back with back-to-back wickets.
But Jurel, in the company of Ravindra Jadeja (24), completed the task with another 68-run stand, with two overs to spare.
For RR, Jofra Archer (2/33), Ravi Bishnoi (2/32) and Brijesh Sharma (2/37) took two wickets.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 201 for 8 in 20 overs (Rajat Patidar 63; Jofra Archer 2/33, Ravi Bishnoi 2/32, Brijesh Sharma 2/37).
Rajasthan Royals: 202 for 4 in 18 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 78, Dhruv Jurel 80 not out; Krunal Pandya 2/30, Josh Hazlewood 2/44).
