Kempe Gowda ratha yatra faces criticism for turning into ‘party affair’

There is allegation that prominent Vokkaliga leaders are being ignored

The Kempe Gowda Ratha Yatra launched by the BJP government, to collect mud from various places in Vokkaliga heartland ahead of unveiling of Bengaluru founder’s statue on November 11, ostensibly to grab the Vokkaliga votes ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections, has come in for criticism as complaints of Vokkaliga leaders being ignored are circulating among community members.

In the intense battle for the Vokkaliga turf, the BJP is trying to make inroads, while Janata Dal (Secular) is desperately attempting to retain the vote bank. Congress too is trying to strengthen its presence.

While the chariot is moving around the Vokkaliga districts – collecting mud from various places to be brought to the statue site — ahead of the unveiling of the Kempe Gowda statue in the Kempegowda International Airport premises by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the community leaders are fuming over what they call “ignoring of Vokkaliga leaders.”

The chariot has the Prime Minister, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa - all of whom do not belong to the community. Videos have been floating in the social media about the absence of photographs of any Vokkaliga leaders. In several places in Bengaluru Rural, Hassan and Tumakuru, the Vokkaliga community leaders have raised objections to it.

Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy whose party derives its strength from the Vokkaliga support base has also taken objection to the manner in which the yatra is being taken. “Our community leaders such as former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna and Adichunchangri seer are missing,” He said, accusing the government of turning it into a “BJP event.” “For an event of this scale, the government should have taken everyone into confidence,” he said. A Congress leader from Hassan also echoed the same feeling and said that the community is closely observing it.

While welcoming the move to install the Kempe Gowda statue, H.N. Rakesh Gowda of Rajya Vokkaligara Yuva Sene, in a video, said, “Is it a Kempe Gowda Ratha or party leaders’ ratha? Instead of bringing all parties together for such an event, it is being turned into party affair.”