BENGALURU: The state Congress, which is in high spirits after its recent bypoll wins, wants to keep the winning momentum going ahead of the local body elections to be held in 2025. As part of this, the Grand Old Party has decided to hold massive rallies across the state.
Each time Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s staunch supporters—the AHINDA (Kannada acronym for Alpasankyatha (minorities), Hindulida (backward), and Dalit (Scheduled Castes) members)—hold a convention or a rally to enhance the image of their leader, the Congress high command has managed to convert it into a party event.
The latest of the conventions is the Swabhimani Samavesha in Hassan on December 5, which will be held under the auspices of the Congress and the Shoshita Samudayagala Okkuta, a federation of oppressed classes that supports Siddaramaiah.
When Siddaramaiah’s 75th birthday celebrations were held in Chitradurga in 2023, the Congress managed to “take over the event” with senior leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, attending it. Rahul helped in mending the “strained” relationship between Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar, which helped the party clinch power in Karnataka. As a result, the Congress has continued to use this strategy of using Siddaramaiah’s supporters to strengthen the party organisation for which the latter has given his nod, said party insiders.
However, Swabhimani Samavesha has put Siddaramaiah in a spot of bother after an anonymous letter was sent to AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge claiming that the convention has been planned to help the CM regain his lost ground after his name surfaced in the alleged MUDA site allotment scam.
Kharge swung into action and alerted AICC general secretaries KC Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, who managed to convince Siddaramaiah to ensure that Swabhimani Samavesha happens under the party banner, said informed sources.
“Kharge at the helm of affairs has come in handy for Karnataka Congress leaders to keep a check on Siddaramaiah and his supporters,” felt a Congress leader.
Rahul Gandhi has also given his nod for the rallies planned by the supporters of Siddaramaiah after the latter convinced the former that it would help the party, said party sources.
After Swabhimani Samavesha in Hassan, similar rallies are planned across the state as the Congress wants to take the government’s achievements to the people. The rallies are also expected to boost Siddaramaiah’s image, which has taken a beating amid the alleged scams in the MUDA and ST Corporation.
The Congress top brass does not want to give any room for the opposition to attack the CM or the government over corruption. Prior to Swabhimani Samavesha, Siddaramaiah will be inaugurating development works worth over Rs 900 crore in Tumakuru on Monday.