The Karnataka BJP filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar had made unfounded and divisive accusations based on caste and communal feelings of the voters on Thursday.
Former Deputy CM and BJP MLA C.N. Ashwath Narayan, along with senior advocate Vivek S. Reddy, submitted the complaint, asserting that Shivakumar's statements could exacerbate divisions within the Vokkaliga community and the extensive followers of the Adichunchanagiri Seer.
Recently, Shivakumar remarked that members of the Vokkaliga community and followers of the Adichunchanagiri Seer are not naive and haven't forgotten the roles played by current BJP leaders like A.H. Vishwanath, Narayana Gowda, R. Ashoka, Ashwath Narayan, C.P. Yogeshwara, and B.S. Yediyurappa in ousting a Vokkaliga Chief Minister (H.D. Kumaraswamy).
The complaint filed against Shivakumar alleged that the criticism against these political figures violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) since it was a baseless accusation rooted in caste and communal sentiments, particularly targeting the Vokkaliga community. It further claimed that Shivakumar's statements could significantly influence ordinary voters.
Following a visit by a delegation of NDA candidates to the Adichunchanagiri Mutt, the spiritual hub of the Vokkaliga community, on Wednesday, Shivakumar remarked that the pontiff is a wise man who will not get involved in politics.
JD(S) President H.D. Kumaraswamy had previously stated that the Vokkaliga community is closely monitoring all statements made by Shivakumar and will address them at a suitable juncture.
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