BELAGAVI: AMID intensifying speculation over the appointment of a new KPCC president and an impending cabinet reshuffle, senior Congress leader Satish Jarkiholi on Monday found himself at the centre of a significant socio-political mobilisation, as a delegation of 21 seers representing Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and various backward communities met him in Bengaluru and discussed issues of political representation within the Congress.
The meeting, held at Jarkiholi’s official residence, assumes political significance at a time when the Congress high command in consultation with caretaker CM Siddaramaiah and CM-in-waiting DK Shivakumar in New Delhi is believed to be weighing crucial organisational and government-level changes following the leadership transition in the state.
The delegation included seers associated with the Bovi community, Valmiki Peetha, Kuruba and Madivala communities, among others. Sources said the discussions focused on ensuring greater representation for backward classes, Dalits and tribal communities in both party organisation and cabinet.
Sources said the seers strongly advocated that the next KPCC president should come from a backward community and conveyed their view that Jarkiholi, one of the Congress’ most influential OBC leaders, was a deserving candidate.
The delegation is also understood to have assured support for efforts aimed at securing greater representation for Backward Class legislators in the cabinet and in the allocation of key portfolios.With the Congress preparing for a new political phase under Shivakumar, the question of balancing caste equations in both the government and the party organisation has assumed heightened importance.