India, April 15 -- Political tensions simmered in Karnataka on Monday, days before a crucial cabinet meeting to discuss the findings of a controversial caste survey that reportedly recommended dramatically restructuring the state's caste matrix, with Vokkaliga and Lingayat leaders calling the exercise "unscientific", the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rejecting the study and fissures appearing even within the Congress government.

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah appeared to temper his response to the survey, after initially backing the report and calling it "95% perfect", even as his deputy DK Shivakumar convened a meeting of the party's Vokkaliga leaders at his residence on Tuesday to tamp down on rising discontent within ...