Watch: BJP president Amit Shah visits Siddaganga Mutt, meets Shivakumara Swami

BENGALURU: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah on Monday met Shivakumara Swami, head of Siddaganga Mutt in Karnataka's Tumkur as part of his two-day Karnataka tour. 

 

#WATCH: BJP President Amit Shah met Shivakumara Swami of Siddaganga Mutt in Karnataka's Tumkur pic.twitter.com/jEn8rscZ9c — ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2018

Following the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government's decision to accord minority religion status to Lingayats, Shah plans to visit several mutts of Lingayat and Dalit communities. 

Shah will now visit the Madara Chennaiah mutt on Tuesday, which has been traditionally associated with Dalits. Later, he's expected to visit the Bekkinkal, Sirgere and Muruga mutts among others during his visit to the state's central region.

He'll also address farmers' and traders' meetings, take out a road show and attend party events in the poll-bound state.

Karnataka assembly elections are expected to be held in few weeks.

On March 23, days after accepting recommendation to recognise the Lingayat as a separate religion, the Karnataka government gave the community minority status. 

The demand for a separate religion tag to Veerashaiva/ Lingayat faiths has surfaced from the numerically strong and politically-influential community, amidst resentment from within over projecting the two communities as the same.

The Congress government's decision is aimed at making a dent in BJP's vote bank which has declared BS Yeddyurappa its chief ministerial candidate.

The BJP is making an all-out effort to unseat the Congress in Karnataka. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has also been frequenting the state and has visited holy places linked to different religions and castes.