The Congress on Saturday took a big step towards building bridges with the influential Lingayats,a majority community in Karnataka,ahead of the 2013 assembly polls in the state,with party chief Sonia Gandhi sharing the stage at a celebration to mark 105 years of the life of one of the most influential Lingayat spiritual leaders the Siddaganga Mutts Shivakumar Swamy. Though described as an apolitical programme no political statements were made at the Guruvandana programme there were significant political undertones given the importance attached to the Lingayat communitys influence on electoral fortunes of parties here. Sonias presence as the only politician on the dais is being widely seen as a minor political coup for the Congress that has over the years had a cold relationship with Lingayats. Sonia was invited as the guest of honor by the Siddaganga Mutt even as the ruling BJP in Karnataka began putting some distance between itself and one of its main Lingayat leaders,former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa. Over the past few years,the ruling BJP has been identified as the party enjoying primary support of the Lingayats,who make up 17 per cent of the state population and are especially influential in the states dry northern parts. The Lingayat recognition with BJP has been also partly linked to the fact that Yeddyurappa belonged to the community. Since the political downfall of Yeddyurappa last July under the weight of corruption charges and internal party feuds,the Lingayat support base has been considered to be up for grabs and Saturdays Guruvandana event for a top seer of the community is considered an important step in the Congresss attempt to reinvent itself in Karnataka. Though BJP leaders,including Yeddyurappa,were invited to the function,they did not attend. The entire state Congress leadership turned up for the event at Tumkur,50 km from here. Through the event Sonia and the seer Shivakumar Swamy steered clear of any political statements in their speeches. Sonia said the 105-year-old seer exemplified hard work and discipline and called it remarkable that these traits were still visible in the seer despite his advancing age. She praised the education initiatives of the mutt. Education has to be something more deeper for it to be an effective instrument of nation building. It must inculcate moral values, she said. The seer,who became a sanyasi in the 1930s,speaking very coherently and clearly despite his age,said all Indians people must work hard,do their duties diligently,live responsibly and engage in philanthropic activities.
