By P.T. Bopanna
Have Kodavas (Coorgs) in Karnataka ditched the BJP? The ongoing caste survey of the Siddaramaiah Congress government has proved that the sun has set on the saffron party which ruled the roost for the last two decades in Kodagu.
The Kodava community which prided itself as belonging to the ‘land of the generals’, had reduced itself to the role of ‘foot-soldiers’ of the Hindutva brigade under BJP’s influence.
Former Speaker of Karnataka Legislative Assembly K.G. Bopaiah (not a Kodava), who got elected using the Modi brand image, took complete control over the Kodava community affairs.
So much so that the clans celebrating the annual Kodava hockey festival had to go through him to get government grants. Whatever little grants the community received, Bopaiah gave the impression that it was his largesse.
All that changed with the entry of A.S. Ponnanna (in picture), who took control of the Congress affairs in the run-up to the last Assembly elections. The BJP in Kodagu (Coorg), considered as the bastion of the saffron party, crumbled like a pack of cards, though Bopaiah managed to give a good fight to Ponnanna, in the Virajpet assembly constituency.
Ironically, it was Ponnanna’s father, the late A.K. Subbaiah, the firebrand leader who once built the BJP in Karnataka, went to the extent of calling the Kodava Samajas in the state as “branch offices” of the BJP.
All that changed with Ponnanna taking control of Kodagu affairs. He slowly started weaning Kodavas away from the BJP.
Bopaiah, who was adept at playing double game, had ignored the long-pending demand of the Kodavas that the name of the community be mentioned as ‘Kodava/Kodavaru’ in caste certificate.
Ponnanna, who is the legal advisor to the chief minister, facilitated a meeting of the CNC leader N.U. Nachappa with Siddaramaiah and fulfilled his demand for change in the nomenclature of the Kodava community. The cabinet took the decision to change the name.
Ponnanna also helped the Bangalore Kodava Samaja in regularising seven acres of land allotted by the government a few years ago.
Through his actions, Ponnanna has proved that he is the only leader who matters in the Kodava community.
So it was not surprising that the Kodava leaders representing various organisations were unison in demanding that Kodavas should record their religion as ‘Kodava’ and not ‘Hindu’ in the ongoing caste survey. With that the sun has really set on the BJP in Kodagu.