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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If Bumrah is not fit then a score of around 200 also might not be enough: Gavaskar
Sydney, Jan 4: Batting great Sunil Gavaskar feels India will struggle to defend even 200 in case premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah is unable to bowl at full throttle on the third day of the fifth and final Test against Australia here on Sunday.
Bumrah had left the field for scans during the second day's post-lunch session after bowling just one over, having experienced some discomfort. However, he returned to the dressing room after undergoing precautionary scans for an unspecified niggle.
India pacer Prasidh Krishna said his skipper had suffered back spasm.
The medical team was monitoring him as India ended the day 145 runs in front with four second innings wickets left on a SCG track which is aiding the bowlers.
"Look, if India scores 40 more runs or they put 185 on the board then they have a great chance but it all depends on Jasprit Bumrah's fitness. If Jasprit Bumrah is fit then 145-150 might be enough. But if Bumrah is not fit then a score of around 200 also might not be enough," said Gavaskar on Star Sports on Saturday.
Gavaskar also said maintaining secrecy around Bumrah's status is not going to help the Australians, who have so far struggled to counter the threat posed by the Indian pace spearhead.
"One thing that I liked was when he came back after the scan, obviously it took a lot of time because the hospital is a bit far, but he looked in good shape and his body language was such that there was no indication of the Australian team and it is very important to maintain the secrecy.
"Because, tactically you do not want to announce whether Bumrah will be available for bowling or not, and even if he is not available and this news goes across the opposition dressing room because till now Australian batsmen haven't found out a way to counter him, they don’t know whether they should attack, defend, or whether they should play on front-foot.
"So to execute this plan it is important to maintain secrecy, so Bumrah and the Indian team management managed it quite well," Gavaskar said.
The pacer has already taken 32 wickets in the series, and had figures of 2/33 in 10 overs before leaving the field, having removed Marnus Labuschagne in the morning session and Usman Khawaja on the last ball of the first evening.
