Apr 11 2023 to Apr 11 2023 6:30 p.m.

EVENT HAS ENDED

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

In the fractious caste-based politics of post-independent Karnataka, the historic rivalry between the Lingayats and Vokkaligas has dictated the trajectory of state politics with both these politically dominant castes having a disproportionately high share of political representation relative to their populations. Informal estimates put the respective populations of the Lingayats and Vokkaligas at around 14-16 per cent and 10-11 per cent of Karnataka’s population but MLAs belonging to these two castes won roughly half the seats (out of 224) in the 2018 elections in Karnataka. While Lingayats are influential in north and central Karnataka where the BJP will compete with the Congress, Vokkaligas, a peasant caste, are dominant in 11 districts in south Karnataka with emphatic political supremacy in the districts of Hassan, Mandya, Ramanagaram and Bengaluru Rural. Even though the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has managed to establish a strong base across Karnataka over the past three decades, it is perceived to be a Lingayat-backed party and the Vokkaliga dominated parts of south Karnataka or ‘Old Mysore’ (as this region is also known because it is contiguous with the former borders of the princely state of Mysore) have, largely, remained impervious to its influence. This panel discussion examines this overwhelming and emphatic dominance of these two powerful communities on the politics of Karnataka. Karnataka will be going in for Assembly elections in the middle of 2023. The Bangalore International Centre has organised a series of talks – Karnataka Votes 2023 – that highlights the various elements of state politics, its culture and history that are often unique to this state, and affect the voting pattern. This is the fourth session in the series.