BJP’s Karnataka picks for Modi govt all from dominant castes, Congress finds a line of attack

The BJP’s choice of four Karnataka MPs for the Narendra Modi government’s Union Council of Ministers reflects the support it received in the state from the dominant castes in the Lok Sabha polls. But this has attracted criticism from the Congress for “ignoring backward communities”.

The 17 BJP winners in Karnataka include 12 from dominant castes — five Lingayats, four Vokkaligas, and three Brahmins; and five from backward communities — two Scheduled Caste (Left) members and three Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Its ally JD(S) won two seats — a Vokkaliga and an SC — and one Cabinet berth.

In contrast, the Congress won nine Lok Sabha seats from the state, with five winners from backward communities: three from Scheduled Tribes (STs), two from SC (Right) members, one OBC, and three from the dominant castes, two Lingayats and one Vokkaliga.

However, the Lingayat community that dominates northern Karnataka and has backed the BJP over the last four decades has not found a single plum post in the ministerial council, suggesting the waning influence of the state’s foremost Lingayat leader and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa.

The BJP has also not given representation for the most backward Dalit (Left) group, which has also traditionally backed the party in Karnataka despite two veterans from the community winning their election amid a strong challenge from the Congress.

The Vokkaligas in the Union Council of Ministers are H D Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) who has got a Cabinet berth and BJP’s Shobha Karandlaje who has got a Minister of State (MoS) post. She also covers the women’s quota requirement. In addition, Pralhad Joshi, a Brahmin, has been picked again for a Cabinet post and V Somanna, a Lingayat, has been given an MoS post.