BENGALURU: The Dalit chief minister issue is likely to gain momentum as the Congress government completes two-and-a-half years in office on November 20 to counter DCM DK Shivakumar, who has been meeting close associates of senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, like Ambika Soni, to clinch the CM post.
Shivakumar seems to have stuck to his strategy of reminding the high command about the reported agreement that was arrived at when the party came to power in 2023 about sharing of power between Siddaramaiah and him. He will insist that the high command keep its word, sources said.
But it is to be seen if Dalit leaders, members from the Siddaramaiah’s coterie, would counter Shivakumar effectively. These leaders, including Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara, PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi and Social Welfare Minister Dr HC Mahadevappa, have held several rounds of talks to discuss the issue. They have also told some SC legislators to be prepared for a meeting with the high command, but it is unlikely to materialise, a source said.
“Who said the high command will not consider a Dalit for CM. It might be waiting for an appropriate time. The high command is in favour of Dalits,” Mahadevappa said on Friday.
The high command has, however, instructed the Dalit grouping not to create confusion, another source said.
Housing Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan and APMC Minister Shivanand Patil on Friday said Siddaramaiah will continue as CM for the remaining two-and-a-half years. Some days ago, seven ministers wrote to the high command demanding Siddaramaiah’s continuation, an MLA in Shivakumar’s camp said.
Shivakumar’s sympathisers, however, think that raising the Dalit CM issue is the last-ditch effort of the Siddaramaiah camp. They also believe that Sonia Gandhi and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would convince Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to have the final word in favour of Shivakumar. The Bihar assembly polls results, out on November 14, having a bearing on Karnataka politics cannot be ruled out, analysts said.
Shivakumar has been assuring high command leaders that there would be no rebellion or crisis if there is a change in leadership, the source said.
Siddu rubbishes report on CM change
Siddaramaiah on Friday rubbished a report in a vernacular daily that Shivakumar would be sworn-in as chief minister in November last week.
“Who told you? How did you know? Which newspaper? I read all the newspapers, nothing as such has appeared,” he said, replying to queries from reporters at Vidhana Soudha.
“How will I know a deadline has been set? Only the CM, party president and high command know,” said Mahadevappa, replying to a query on Shivakumar reportedly setting a deadline for power transfer.