Congress pins hopes on Sonia’s visit

[1]

The Congress will find no better opportunity than this to seriously start wooing the Lingayats who have turned their back to the party for the past 21 years. AICC president Mrs Sonia Gandhi will be the lone political figure sitting with pontiffs of various communities when the 105th Guruvandana (tribute to the guru) programme at Siddaganga math premises begins on Saturday. The Swami is the most influential guru of the Lingayat community which the Congress is trying to win over ahead of the 2013 Assembly polls to regain power which it lost in 2004.Most Lingayats who constitute about 17 per cent of the 6.5 crore population of the state, have identified with the ruling BJP.

“The organisers of the function had approached us to get Mrs Gandhi to attend the function. I along with AICC general secretary, Oscar Fernandes, Union minister M. Veerappa Moily and KPCC vice-president, Rani Satish told Mrs Gandhi about the Walking God (the seer) and explained the importance of the function. She agreed,” said KPCC president Dr G. Parameshwar. He denied reports that the party would be utilising the opportunity to woo the Lingayats. According to him, the community has never deserted the party. "No community will support a party forever. We still have strong Lingayat connections,” he said.