Results May 25

CASTE AND THE BALLOT

Caste lines become distinct as political parties draw their battle lines.

Lingayats make up nearly 30% per cent of the population and are largely spread over the northern districts. The Lingayats are a progressive 12th century breakaway Hindu group, comprising various original classes of people including Brahmins and Dalits, brought together mainly by the saint Basavanna.

Vokkaligas have been the biggest rivals of the Lingayats in the power struggles in Karnataka. They make up 20 per cent of the population and are spread over the more fertile southern districts that go to the polls in the first phase. An agricultural community, the Vokkaligas are similar to the Kurmis in the north.

Dalits and OBCs comprising of several sub-groups make up nearly 30 per cent of the population. They are spread across constituencies in the state.

Muslims make up 10 per cent of the population and are spread around constituencies.

Brahmins who make up around four per cent are present mostly in urban constituencies and in some parts of districts in the Western Ghats.

Main issues

• Desire for a stable government with ability to provide progress

• Rainbow coalition of communities versus Lingayats

• The betrayal of the BJP and Yeddyurappa, anger against JD-S

• Alignment of secular parties to keep communal forces at bay

• Rising price situation

• Promises made to poor including free television sets

... contd.