Bengaluru (ANI): The weaver community is likely to play a key role in the assembly polls in Karnataka where the BJP is trying to form the government again.

The weaver community, Nekara castes, in Karnataka, comprise around 60 to 65 lakh population. They come from 29 castes like Devanga, Thogataveera, Padmasali, Swakulasali, Kuruhinashetty, Pattasali, Sengundar, Hatagaara Koshti.

Asked about whom the influential community is going to vote for in Karnataka Assembly polls, the State president of the State weavers association, MD Laxmi Narayan, told ANI that this time all the weavers will vote for Bharatiya Janata Party as they are very happy with the party’s performance.

“That’s why in 2023 all weavers in 224 assembly constituencies in 31 districts will vote for BJP,” he said.

He said that we had asked the Chief Minister to help us with 10 schemes, out of 10 schemes, he gave eight schemes for the weavers. “Our weavers’ community is happy [with the BJP]. ‘

There are ten thousand to fifty thousand voters of the community in 55 assembly constituencies in Karnataka.

“In Karnataka, the weaver community comprises above 60 lakh, spread in 29 castes. I am the State president of the Weaver community for the past 10 years,” he told ANI.

Asha Nagraj, a power loom factory owner said that our work is going well, and the government is also helping us.

“Many weavers are associated with this work, they are getting good help from the government, BJP government gave Nekar Samman Yojna. It is very helpful for us. The ratio of males and females in this weaving work is 50-50 per cent. The women are involved in packing and binding work,” she said.

Earlier in 2020, amidst the Covid pandemic, the then Chief Minister of Karnataka BS Yediyurappa had launched Karnataka Nekar Samman Yojana.

It was a relief scheme to provide financial support to the destitute weaver of the state engaged in the handloom and textile industry whose livelihood was adversely affected by the pandemic.

Raghavendra Rao, who runs the power loom unit, said that the BJP government is giving subsidies to the community.

“There are about 65 lakh weavers who are associated with this business. Earlier it used to take one week to make a saree, since the power loom has come, the state government and the central government has given subsidy to install computers,” he said.

“The earlier governments had neglected the weaving community a lot, now the BJP government has helped us a lot. Weaver community plays the decisive vote in about 42 to 50 assembly constituencies. For so many years our Nikara community has never got priority in politics,” he added.

“We think that we should also get a place in politics so that we can be represented. We will vote for those who will do good work, now BJP government is doing good work, and if the double-engine government will come, we will also be benefited, so we should support BJP,” he added.

Imran, a weaver who has been associated with this work continuously for 15 years, said that earlier I used to do this work in the village and now I am doing this work here in Karnataka.

“Due to technology, our work is mainly done with computers etc. We have got facilities from the government, and computers have been installed, so our work has become easier,” he added.

Earlier in January, the Bommai government, in a bid to resolve the problems of the weavers of the state, decided to extend the Nekar Samnan scheme to the labourers working in power looms and to implement them to 1.02 lakh power loom weavers and workers.

Presiding the meeting, Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai also ordered the state officials to set up mini textile parks in 25 taluks of Karnataka.

Under this scheme financial assistance of Rs 5,000 is remitted to the bank accounts of 1.02 lakh power loom weavers and workers under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).