The Veerashaiva-Lingayat community meeting on the premises of KLES Mahadevappa Munavalli School in Gokak on Saturday witnessed acrimonious scenes.
The meeting was convened seeking the support of the community for Ramesh Jarkiholi, the BJP candidate for the bypoll-bound Gokak constituency.
During the meeting, the community, which constitutes the bulk of the electorate in Gokak, looked divided over supporting the BJP candidate.
Independent candidate Prakash Bhagoji, who has extended support to JD(S) candidate Ashok Pujari, took Union Minister Suresh Angadi to task saying, “The Lingayat community has suffered oppression at the hands of Ramesh Jarkiholi all these years. We will not support Jarkiholi.”
“A Lingayat leader (Pujari) is in the fray. You never supported him. Now, you want us to vote for Ramesh Jarkiholi just because he is your party candidate. It is not fair,” Bhagoji added.
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