Do not repeat injustice to Lingayats: Congress leader Vinay Kulkarni

The Lingayat community has supported the Congress party in a big way this time after the Veerendra Patil episode and that the party should not repeat the injustice meted out to the community over three decades back, said Congress lawmaker Vinay Kulkarni.

Vinay, a former minister, who is apparently disappointed over the denial of ministerial berth in Siddaramaiah 2.0 Cabinet, said, "In the previous elections the Lingayat community did not back the Congress. Because of a massive support by the community, the Congress clinched 135 seats this time. The Congress leadership should understand the fact that without the backing of the community the party cannot win elections."

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On the legislators, who spearheaded the Panchamasali quota movement, not getting ministerial berths, Vinay said, "This time, 13 leaders from the Panchamasali community have won elections from the Congress. The party leadership should have rewarded the leaders who had ensured that the community stood solidly behind the party. But that did not happen. This will have an adverse impact on the party in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Lingayat ministers were meted out injustice in allocation of portfolios," he charged.

'Groom youngsters'

"What was the need to draft seniors who had served as ministers in the past into the Cabinet? The veterans should make way for young leaders. There's a need to identify and groom future leaders," he said.

The politically influential Linagayt community constitutes 17% of the state's population and the community has a major say in north Karnataka.