Is the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka trying to use Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to make inroads into the Vokkaliga heartland of Mandya and surrounding areas?
The question is being raised as Mr. Adityanath is set to visit the district on October 16 to take part in the Kumbha Mela being organised at Ambigarahalli of Akkihebbal in K.R. Pet.
The event at the confluence of the Hemavati and the Lakshmanatirtha with the Cauvery will be held for three days from October 14. Mr. Adityanath will be attending the rituals on October 16. Significantly, the Kumbha Mela is being spearheaded by the Vokkaliga community’s Adichunchanagiri Mutt that belongs to the Naatha Panth, to which Mr. Adityanath also belongs.
The timing of Mr. Adityanath’s proposed visit is also politically important as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra is going through its Karnataka leg. Also, it comes at a time when the three teams of BJP leaders would be embarking on a State tour to galvanise the party cadre ahead of the 2023 Assembly polls.
While BJP leaders are tightlipped on whether there are any plans to politically harness Mr. Adityanath’s visit, speculations are rife about various possibilities. The BJP is now trying to explore options of making inroads into its opponents’ bastions, including the Vokkaliga heartland.
