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| Kejriwal with Veerendra Heggade at Manjunatha Swamy temple in Dharmasthala |
Staff correspondent, September 10, 2015, NewsCrunch
Arvind Kejriwal's visit to Dharmasthala shrine in Dakshina Kannada district has led to some political speculation in Karnataka.
In AAP's national design, the State figures prominently though the party has languished in Bangalore - it did not even try contest the just concluded BBMP polls.
Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Veerendra Heggade said the Delhi CM was there on invite. It is common for the religious organisations in Karnataka to invite political leaders for their events.
Kejriwal visited the Manjunatha Swamy temple observing all local practices that included removing his shirt. He took part in a convocation, inaugurated a women's hostel and made speeches.
AAP volunteers of the district had gathered to receive him at the airport. He also attended a party function where he was to address the media, but backed off at the last minute.
If AAP wants to expand in Karnataka, Mangalore offers a fertile ground, besides Bangalore. The highly educated, wealthy and media saturated district has witnessed severe Hindu-Muslim polarisation.
The saffron camp is in a perpetual state of mobilisation, often making news for the wrong reasons. The Muslim groups are far from being push overs; equally organised, they offer stiff resistance and indulge in their own version of moral policing.
AAP may like to offer a new style of politics that goes beyond communal camps and offer many disenchanted youth an alternative.
But to take this path, AAP would have to eat into Congress votes, which will not be easy in Dakshina Kannada district. The Congress may not be in a visible street battle with BJP; but it is a well-entrenched force with its steadfast support base of minorities and backward castes.
In the last Assembly elections Congress routed BJP in seven constituencies and lost in only one. Among the seven Congress MLAs from the district there are two Muslims, a Christian and a Jain. And two of them U T Khader and Ramanath Rai are powerful state ministers.