The All India Panchamasali Lingayat Mahasabha, led by Congress MLA Vijayananda Kashappanavar, has demanded five cabinet berths from the newly elected Congress government in Karnataka and a Panchamasali Lingayat as the Leader of the Opposition from the BJP. Specific MLAs including Kashappanavar, Vinay Kulkarni, and Lakshmi Hebbalkar, were named for cabinet positions.
This demand follows the significant role of the Panchamasali community in the recent state elections, where 16 Panchamasali Lingayats were elected to the assembly. The Mahasabha credits their mobilization for the defeat of two BJP ministers. The community had previously undertaken a significant agitation for increased reservation, which was partially addressed by the BJP before the elections by reallocating existing reservations.
The demand is complicated by the inclusion of Vinay Kulkarni, a prime accused in a 2016 murder case. Despite this, he was re-elected to office. The resolution was presided over by Basava Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swamy, an influential Lingayat Panchamasali seer.
The Panchamasali subsect comprises about 60% of the Lingayat community in Karnataka and had undertaken a lengthy protest to secure additional reservations.
The Mahasabha plans to present their resolution to the leaders of both the Congress and BJP.