Bengaluru, Apr 16 (Reporter) A day ahead of the crucial cabinet meeting in Karnataka on Thursday, the caste survey debate has taken the centre-stage, threatening to unsettle the Congress government’s delicate social coalition. At the heart of the storm are two of the state's most politically influential communities — the Vokkaligas and the Lingayats. Both have sharply objected to the contents and implications of the leaked socio-economic and educational survey, conducted in 2015 during the previous Congress tenure. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s closed-door meeting with Vokkaliga legislators on Wednesday underscores the strategic calculations within the ruling party. Acknowledged as a prominent Vokkaliga leader, Shivakumar’s initiative comes not merely as damage control but a calibrated move to retain the confidence of a community that forms the backbone of his regional political base. While the Congress has long claimed the mantle of social justice, the leaked figures from the caste survey — which drastically reduce the perceived demographic weight of Vokkaligas and Lingayats — have cast a shadow over its internal cohesion. The reported figure of 11% for Lingayats has been flatly rejected by the All India Veerashaiva Lingayat Mahasabha, which contends that their actual population is closer to 35%. Similarly, prominent Vokkaliga leaders including HD Deve Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy have demanded the report be scrapped, citing flawed methodology and political mischief. Shivakumar’s own position on the report has evolved. In November last year, he joined other Vokkaliga representatives in signing a petition opposing the report, describing it as unscientific. As Deputy CM, he now finds himself balancing the community interests with the need to uphold collective cabinet responsibility. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who has strongly favoured releasing the caste survey report, is now in a bind. A long-time advocate of affirmative action and OBC empowerment, Siddaramaiah risks alienating dominant caste groups if he pushes forward with the report in its current form. Shelving the report outright would damage his standing among the backward classes, whose demand for updated reservation frameworks rests on the availability of credible caste data. What further complicates the scenario is the inter-party dimension. The BJP and JD(S), both of whom draw significant support from the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities respectively, have seized upon the controversy to discredit the Congress, calling it untrustworthy. The caste census issue could provide the Opposition with ammunition to polarise voters along community lines. The April 17 cabinet meeting is, therefore, more than just a bureaucratic milestone — it is a litmus test for the Congress government’s political foresight and unity. Whether the government moves to adopt, reject, or defer the caste survey report will likely shape the contours of Karnataka’s political landscape for months to come. In a state where caste has always been an undercurrent in electoral politics, the battle over numbers is rapidly morphing into a battle over narratives — of representation, power, and identity...////...