K’taka polls: Rahul to celebrate Basava Jayanthi in K’taka
Bengaluru: Continuing its outreach to the Lingayat community ahead of the May 10 Assembly polls, the Congress has roped in Rahul Gandhi to participate in Basava Jayanthi celebrations at Kudala Sangama in the Bagalkot district of the state.
Basava Jayanthi is celebrated on April 23 as a festival by the Lingayat community across the state.
The Congress, which is upbeat about breaking the Lingayat vote bank of BJP after the joining of senior Lingayat leaders from BJP — Jagadish Shettar and Laxman Savadi –, is all set to woo the community on the auspicious occasion, sources said here on Saturday.
Guru Basavanna’s (12th-century social reformer who founded the Lingayat religion) samadhi is located in Kudala Sangama. The Congress wants to send out a signal through the programme that it is with Lingayats.
According to the sources, the programme is organised by an organization and not by the party.
Congress leaders have visited the spot and made arrangements. KPCC Publicity Campaign President and senior Congress leader M.B. Patil has taken all the major responsibilities of hosting Rahul Gandhi and organising programmes.
The former Congress president will visit Sangameshwara temple and Basavanna’s Ikya Mantapa (samadhi). Later, he is scheduled to participate in the Basava Jayanthi programme organised at the venue.
All Lingayat leaders of Congress will participate in the programme with Rahul Gandhi to send a signal to the community, sources explained.
Currently, the Lingayat vote bank is standing with BJP and Congress is making an all-out attempt to reach out to them.
