Bengaluru, Apr 18 (IANS): Criticising the Congress, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka on Tuesday said the grand old party has ignored and cheated voters of the Lingayat community -- a politically dominant group in the southern state.

"The Lingayat voters in Karnataka are vigilant and they have always taken the right decision when required. The Congress has shown special love for them after the Assembly elections were announced. It was the same party that tried to divide the Lingayats and Veerashaivas. The people have not forgotten the divide-and-rule policy of the Congress party," Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said.

Bommai said "the Congress showers special love on Lingayats during the elections".

Talking to reporters in Mudhol, he said the Congress had also opposed reservations for the Lingayats.

"The party had opposed its inclusion in the 2A category in 2009 and rejected it in 2016. The incumbent BJP government created a separate category, 2D, and hiked the quota for the Lingayats. Now, they have instigated somebody and filed a case in the Supreme Court questioning the reservation for them. The Congress leaders opposed any development of Lingayats.

"After 1967, except for Veerendra Patil, no Lingayat has become the chief minister of Karnataka. Even Patil was treated badly by the Congress leaders. People know what happened to the Lingayat leaders like M. Rajashekar Murthy and Virupakshappa. Now, they are treating S.R. Patil very badly and denying him the post of Opposition Leader in the Legislative Council and the post of the Council Chairman," Bommai said.

The Chief Minister further said that all those leaders who joined Congress during the election would not make any impact on the BJP's prospects. "This time, the BJP will win more seats than in the 2018 Assembly polls," he said.

Replying to a question, he said the campaign (plans and programmes) by actor Kichcha Sudip was not ready, and things would be finalised on Wednesday.