Karnataka's state politics remains imbued with caste and the parties provide just a thin veil for local caste wars. Vokkaligas and Lingayats dominated the political scene in Karnataka till the 1970s. The years that followed saw pulls and pushes among different caste groups; minority communities were also involved. With the advent of the BJP, the caste game became even more complex, with caste leaders joining hands irrespective of their party affiliation.
