BENGALURU: With political dynamics within the ruling Congress party changing after DK Shivakumar took over as Chief Minister, leaders aspiring to join his cabinet have resorted to their own strategies. MLAs who identified with various camps are changing their tactics to convince the party high command to give them cabinet berths.
Supporters of former CM Siddaramaiah, including former minister Zameer Ahmed Khan and Dr HC Mahadevappa, have been exerting pressure on the high command by allegedly sponsoring protests by their communities. Mahadevappa’s supporters, under the aegis of ‘Karnataka Dalita Sangatanegala Okkoota’, held a rally at Freedom Park.
Religious head Jnanaprakasha Swami termed Mahadevappa a true Ambedkarite and insisted that the latter be made minister. He also raised the issue of a Dalit CM, saying many leaders have missed the opportunity, and warned that if the high command ignores Dalits, they will teach the Congress a lesson by defeating its candidates in all 224 assembly constituencies in 2028.
Meanwhile, Zameer’s supporters created a scene at Siddaramaiah’s residence Cauvery. They mobbed him, urging that he pressure the high command to favour Zameer. In a video which went viral, Siddaramaiah reportedly yelled at them, alleging that Zameer went against the high command, while referring to the latter’s alleged anti-party activities in the Davanagere South bypolls. The supporters, however, asked Siddaramaiah to advise Zameer to mend his ways.
According to sources, Siddaramaiah is unlikely to bat strongly for either HC Mahadevappa or Zameer. It is to be seen whether he will be able to push his economic adviser Basavaraja Rayareddy or Ramadurga MLA Ashok M Pattan into the cabinet, a senior Congress leader said.
The high command has asked Mahadevappa to work for the party organisation as his son Sunil Bose has become Chamarajanagar MP on the party ticket.
But Zameer has developed a good equation with AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal by contributing considerably in the Kerala assembly polls, which is expected to pay dividends, sources added.
The high command has been evaluating the performance of ministers in the Siddaramaiah cabinet to consider them for ministerial posts in Shivakumar’s cabinet, said another source. Either HK Patil or Dinesh Gundu Rao may be asked to be Assembly speaker. Lakshmi Hebbalkar and Santhosh Lad are hoping that their performance pays off. Dr MC Sudhakar, K Venkatesh and others are lobbying in their own way, according to sources. AICC president Mallikarjuna Kharge is likely to support fresh faces such as MLC Vasantha Kumar under his quota, they added.
SIDDU REBUKES ZAMEER’S SUPPORTER
Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah took exception to a person holding a banner demanding the induction of former minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan into the cabinet, standing next to him. In a video clip that has gone viral on social media platforms, a person holding the banner is telling the former CM that Khan is his close aide and should be made a minister. The former CM rebuts, questioning, “Just because he is close to me, can he work against me?” After being admonished by the former CM, the person holding the banner was sent out. In the last few days, Zameer’s supporters staged demonstrations at several places in the state demanding his induction into the cabinet.
