Lingayat Forum a fictional organisation: K'taka CM Bommai

Hubballi, May 8

The Lingayat Forum is a fictional organisation as it does not exist at all, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Monday.

The Chief Minister told reporters here that Veerashaiva is a very big community and it is not under any organisation. A lot of respect is given to the Veerashaiva Mahasabha, but it is not correct to use any organisation for election purposes.

"If four or five persons say something, does it become the voice of the Lingayats? The Lingayat community is like an ocean. The Lingayat Forum is an organisation that emerged ahead of elections," he stated.

Bommai said there are no cases against the BJP. The Congress didn't have any document when the Election Commission asked for it. The Congress leaders who talk about corruption are themselves facing corruption charges and attending courts. With what moral right can they question the BJP?

He said the IT sleuths are in every district and they will have information about where the mistakes happen. The Congress leaders have committed mistakes, what can we do? There will be raids.

The Chief Minister said the BJP's national leaders have come to Karnataka for all the elections as they have an emotional bond with the people of the state. This will give a big boost to the party.

The campaigning for the May 10 Assembly election ends on Monday.

The Karnataka Lingayita Mattu Veerashaiva Vichara Vedike, a platform of thinkers from the state's dominant Veerashaiva Lingayat community, gave a call to the community members to defeat the BJP in the elections.