BENGALURU: Has Chief Minister Siddaramaiah failed to handle the issues concerning AHINDA communities during his ongoing second term?
Even his loyalists, such as former minister H Anjaneya, have admitted the change in his style of action compared to his first term.
They say the emergence of many power centres have tied the CM’s his hands.
The developments with regard to the Davanagere South bypolls in which the Muslims, including their leaders, were divided over the issue of party ticket for the community’s member indicate that loyalty is also divided among Siddaramiah, DCM DK Shivakumar and the party high command, observed political analysts.
In the run up to the 2028 Assembly polls the CM cannot be a binding force as the Muslims are likely to get split between the parties making the going difficult for the Congress, they added.
Meanwhile, the SC community leaders within the Congress are also divided over the issue of internal quota. The ministers hailing from the SC right caste, including Dr G Parameshwara, Dr HC Mahadevappa and Priyank Kharge, and those from the left including KH Muniyappa and R B Thimmapur allegedly have a difference of opinion.
The SC Bhovi and Lambani leaders are opposing the implementation of the internal quota as per the Justice H N Nahamohan Das commission report as it has tweaked it to allot 6% each to right and left castes and the remaining 5% to others.
As the government is prepared to fill 56,432 vacancies as per the old quota of 15 per cent, without internal quota, it faced the ire of SC left caste members and a section of them allegedly campaigned against the Congress during the bypolls to Davangere South and Bagalakot.
Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah also allegedly failed to implement the Kantharaju Commission’s Socio Economic Education and Educational survey report as the party high command intervened and suggested a fresh survey.
According to sources he is likely to release the new survey conducted by the State Backward Classes Commission soon after the results of the five states’ assemblies and the bypolls are declared on May 4.
In the 2028 Assembly polls the AHINDA as a force is unlikely to be relevant as Siddaramaiah may not be the CM face of the party, according to analysts. The BJP which had raised the issues related to the alleged scam in the MUDA and multi-crore scam in Maharshi Valmiki ST Corporation is likely to harp on the issues of Siddaramaiah’s alleged failure to address the issues related to the Backward Classes and the SC/STs.
