Bengaluru, 24 April

Alarmed by the possible implementation of the caste census report recommendations, the Karnataka Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha, an apex body of the dominant Vokkaliga (agrarian) community, is seeking an alliance with the Veerashaiva Mahasabha.

The unusual coalition aims to counter any attempt to impose the caste census recommendations in the state. 'We are in constant touch with Veerashaiva Mahasabha leaders. We are planning to hold a meeting, but the date has not been finalised yet,' Vokkaligara Sangha president Kenchappa Gowda told PTI.

A Veerashaiva Mahasabha office-bearer also confirmed ongoing discussions between leaders of both communities. 'The talks are mainly to decide strategies to build pressure on the government not to proceed with the caste census report recommendations and to demand a fresh, free, and fair survey,' the office-bearer said, requesting anonymity.

The Vokkaligara Sangha and Veerashaiva-Lingayat communities, Karnataka’s two dominant castes have opposed the ‘Social and Educational Survey Report,’ commonly referred to as the caste census, which was presented to the Karnataka cabinet on 11 April, 10 years after it was commissioned.

A week after it was tabled, the state government in a special cabinet meeting on 17 April, decided to discuss the report again at the cabinet meeting on 2 May.

The report was submitted to the state government in February last year by Jayaprakash Hegde, chairperson of the Karnataka Backward Classes Commission.