TUMAKURU: With the inclusion of Chitradurga MP Anekal Narayanaswamy as Minister of State, the BJP think-tank appears to be looking at keeping the SC (left) vote bank in Karnataka intact. This section reportedly voted in favour of the party in the 2018 assembly polls and 2019 Lok Sabha polls as well.
Govind Karjol, who hails from SC (left) category, has already been made Deputy Chief Minister, and now the Modi government has made another quick move by giving representation to a member of the same community in the Union cabinet. When BJP won the Sira bypoll, both Karjol and Narayanaswamy had played key roles in wooing the community’s votes.
Additionally, appointing Thawar Chand Gehlot, also belonging to SC, as governor of Karnataka, serves as an added advantage that may bear fruit in the long run. Interestingly, a section of Congress sympathisers were also impressed by Gehlot’s appointment as he had delivered the goods as Union Minister for Social Justice. “He’s an SC leader, highly qualified, and was efficient as Union minister,” remarked a party social media user.
Visibly, in order to keep the community’s backing intact, BJP stands a chance to claim that it has given ‘social justice’ and may have a positive impact in the long run in Karnataka politics. By contrast, the Congress failed to give representation to the SC (left) members even in the organisation. Now, leaders such as former Union minister KH Muniyappa may press for suitable representation in the KPCC. According to sources, his daughter and KGF MLA Roopakala M would be elevated to the post of KPCC women’s wing president.
When Congress was in power at the Centre, leading UPA-I and UPA-II, Muniyappa was Union minister, but now the BJP has gone a step ahead by giving suitable representation both at the Centre and in the state. Interestingly, except for minorities, the Modi government now has 57 ministers from SC (12), ST (8) and OBC (27) communities, striking a balance and sending a message ahead of polls to five states, especially Uttar Pradesh.