People belonging to Veershaiva Community protest against the separate Lingayat religion, which the Karnataka government approved on Monday. Pic/PTI

Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa on Wednesday said the state government's move to grant religious minority status to the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community was an "election gimmick" and accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of dividing people on emotional issues. Yeddyurappa is a Lingayat strongman and BJP's chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly polls.