MYSURU: Chief Minister-elect Siddaramaiah, mass socialist leader and Ahinda champion who has created history by returning to the top post for a second term, brings to mind another popular Congress chief minister who was known as the champion of social reforms. D Devaraj Urs, who served two terms -- from 1972-77 as first CM of Karnataka, and from 1978-80 -- brought about sweeping socio-economic changes in the state.
In fact, Siddaramaiah is seen as an avatar of Urs in state politics. There are many parallels between the two political leaders, besides the fact that they hailed from Mysuru. It was Urs’s famous programme — ‘Tiller is the owner of the land’ — which changed the rural economic landscape by empowering peasants and dealing a massive blow to feudalism. It ensured sustainable economic empowerment of the lower and middle social groups. While this earned him many political enemies, it also ensured him a significant place in the political hall of fame.
Likewise, Siddaramaiah’s Ahinda movement transformed him into a mass leader. The policies of the advocate-turned-politician from the socialist school of thought of the early ‘80s focus on pluralism, secularism, empowerment of minorities, backward classes and Dalits. This not only connected him to the masses but also paid rich electoral dividends, with more than 80 per cent of Ahinda votes falling into the Congress kitty.
In the race for chief minister, more than 75 per cent of the MLAs threw their weight behind him, including Vokkaligas, Lingayats, Dalits and minorities. The Ahinda leader’s budgetary proposals focus on giving benefits to the downtrodden, Dalits, farmers, women and the voiceless through his many Bhagya schemes.
He also came up with social sector programmes like allocation of SC/ST funds in proportion to population, continuing reservation in promotion, conducting caste enumeration and also came out with programmes extending financial support for the purchase of land by landless Dalits. He also funded poor students to pursue studies abroad.
Urs, too, brought in many social reforms and constituted the Havanur Commission to bring in reservation for backward classes, fielded microscopic communities and ensured their victory. Siddaramaiah is known for his able administration and fiscal management, which he achieved despite implementing a number of Bhagya schemes -- Anna Bhagya, Ksheera Bhagya, Thayi Bhagya, Arogya Bhagya, Shaadi Bhagya and others -- which cemented the goodwill he enjoyed among the people and legislators. This made him the most-preferred CM candidate in surveys conducted by many agencies.
However, the challenge before the new government is to focus on better fiscal management, maintain receipts, widen its tax base and implement the five promised guarantees in the run-up to the Lok Sabha election. It would give the Congress the moral strength to aggressively counter Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, and allow the Gandhis and Mallikarjun Kharge to leverage this popularity to favour the Congress and stave off any further spread of saffron.
Know your CM
Education: BSc, LLB
Experience: Minister in Ramakrishna Hegde, SR Bommai and HD Deve Gowda Cabinets; two-time DyCM; two-time Leader of Opposition; CM from 2013-2018; Presented a record 13 Budgets
Strengths: Clean image; a mass leader who takes all communities along