BENGALURU: The fresh Socio-Educational Survey, including a caste census, has created a win-win situation for both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, for obliging the Congress high command, and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, as the latter safeguarded his integrity as a Vokkaliga leader.
With the Congress government declaring a fresh caste survey, by dropping the Socio Economic Educational Survey(SES-2015), which lapsed after 10 years, Shivakumar, apparently, has emerged strong. He was a signatory to the community’s demand for the fresh survey. After Thursday’s Cabinet decision, the members of the Vokkaligara Sangha honoured him.
But Siddaramaiah, obliging the high command for a fresh survey in the interest of the party, has equally emerged stronger to consolidate his position and is unlikely to step down until the caste census and SC internal quota implementation, according to the legislators who are his sympathisers.
Siddaramaiah had reportedly asserted that the SES-2015 will be implemented and managed to get the report with recommendations tabled in the Cabinet. He had promised to fulfil the aspirations of the backward classes to the extent of receiving the report (but could not get it accepted by the cabinet), but was forced to drop the report following the high command’s instructions.
He is likely to continue his grip over the high command to continue in his post until the completion of the fresh Socio Educational Survey and its implementation. He is also owed to implement the internal quota among SC communities for which the census is underway by the Justice Nagmohan Das Commission.
But his opponents and critics expressed skepticism over his continuation as CM.
“The majority of the legislators realised that he is a mass leader whose charisma helped them to win the polls. Unless the power transfer happens smoothly, and his choice of leader becomes his successor, he is unlikely to step down, and the high command also realised it”, observed a senior legislator of the old Mysuru region.
In October, when he completes two-and-a-half years, he may take the high command’s nod for the reshuffle of the Cabinet, said another Congress leader. Siddaramaiah will go for damage control to safeguard his government on his own in choosing the new faces for his Cabinet and allotting the portfolios aptly as well.
He will also be cautious in the appointment of top brass in the government, as he has taken the stampede incidents during the RCB celebrations held in Bengaluru seriously, as he did not want the event to be held in a jiffy, observed the MLA, who is aspiring to be a minister.