Karnataka elections are just around the corner, and one of the most hotly debated questions this polling season is - which way will the Lingayat vote, which is around 15-17% of Karnataka’s population, swing? In this ground report, The Wire travelled to Bidar, Kalaburagi and Vijayapura districts in the North Karnataka region which are supposed to be a stronghold of the BJP. We spoke to members of the Lingayat community about whether they support Siddaramaiah’s decision to recognise Lingayats as a separate religious group.
