Karnataka polls: K S Eshwarappa says BJP doesn’t need a single vote from Muslims in Shivamogga

The Basavaraj Bommai government had on March 30 notified a decision taken by the cabinet to scrap the 4% backward classes quota for Muslims and to reallot the Muslim OBC quota to the two most dominant communities in the state, Lingayats and Vokkaligas.

Eshwarappa was speaking at a meeting of representatives from the Lingayat community at Shivamogga on Monday. (Twitter)

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In a controversial statement ahead of May 10 assembly election in Karnataka, former deputy chief minister K S Eshwarappa has said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not need a single vote from Muslims in Shivamogga constituency.

“We should send out a clear message to those fighting the elections by raising caste issues. We should show that we are united and nothing can divide us. They (Congress) say that there are 50,000 to 55,000 Muslim voters (in Shivamogga constituency). We don’t need even one. I am saying directly that we don’t need even one,” the former minister, who is known for his controversial remarks, said while speaking at a meeting of representatives from the Lingayat community at Shivamogga on Monday.

#KarnatakaElection2023

Former #BJP minister @ikseshwarappa says that BJP does not need a single vote from Muslims in Shimoga Assembly constituency. @BSYBJP and Shimoga MP @BYVijayendra were present.@IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/iQALiAVGuY

— Kiran Parashar (@KiranParashar21) April 25, 2023

BJP Parliamentary Board member B S Yediyurappa and Shivamogga MP B Y Vijayendra were also present at the meeting.

Eshwarappa had recently announced his retirement from electoral politics and had asked the party not to field him in the upcoming Assembly polls. He said he was staying away to help the BJP reach a majority.

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Making some significant changes in the norms for reservation in government jobs and education for backward classes and Scheduled Castes (SCs) in Karnataka, the Basavaraj Bommai government had on March 30 notified a decision taken by the cabinet to scrap the 4% backward classes quota for Muslims and to reallot the Muslim OBC quota to the two most dominant communities in the state, Lingayats and Vokkaligas.

The state Congress had hit back at the decision saying, “May it be backward classes, minorities, Vokkaligas or Lingayats, they are not beggars.” Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D K Shivakumar had also accused the government of having contempt for Dalits and minorities.

Eshwarappa’s remarks come as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at a rally in Kolar had called for a head count of backward classes. Addressing the rally, Rahul said: “When we talk about the distribution of wealth, distribution of power… the first step should be to find out the population of every caste.” He also suggested that reservation for SC and STs should be proportionate to their population and sought removal of the Supreme Court-mandated 50% cap on reservation.

Rahul Gandhi has also reiterated the call for a caste census in the state in back-to-back rallies.

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