BELAGAVI: Several AHINDA leaders in Karnataka have expressed concern over the possibility of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stepping down, saying the Congress party’s core AHINDA vote base could suffer a major setback if he exits at this crucial juncture.
The concerns voiced by backward class leaders, including the influential Jarkiholi brothers, have triggered fresh political debate amid ongoing speculation over a possible leadership change in the state.
AHINDA leader and MLC Lakhan Jarkiholi said the AHINDA vote base — minorities, backward classes and Dalits — had stood firmly behind Siddaramaiah’s leadership and would be adversely affected by his exit from the top post.
He maintained that the Congress party’s emphatic victory in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, along with its recent bypoll successes, was largely driven by Siddaramaiah’s mass appeal and the consolidation of AHINDA votes in favour of the party.
Another senior Congress leader said, “If Siddaramaiah resigns as Chief Minister under the current political circumstances, the Congress party will suffer irreparable damage in the state.”
The leader further claimed that any shift in leadership could alienate AHINDA communities from the party and severely impact its prospects in the 2028 Assembly elections. “Without Siddaramaiah’s leadership and AHINDA support, Congress may struggle even to cross 40 seats in the next Assembly polls,” he said.
The AHINDA unit is urging Siddaramaiah not to resign and to complete his term in the larger interest of the party, arguing that his continuation would strengthen the Congress ahead of the next Assembly elections.
The open backing for Siddaramaiah by AHINDA leaders comes at a time when intense political speculation is underway within the ruling Congress over leadership change and internal power-sharing arrangements in Karnataka.