Clamour for Dalit CM in Karnataka, Congress worried

Leading the race of Dalit hopefuls is the veteran G Parameshwar and Priyank Kharge, the vocal son of Congress president Mallikarjuna Kharge.

This has forced Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to launch a dinner diplomacy with loyalists and disgruntled backers even as Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar feels he is being checkmated due to his own political ambitions. A worried Congress high command sent two senior emissaries, Randeep Singh Surjewala and KC Venugopal, to Bengaluru to iron out the differences within the party but this seems to have no effect on those clamouring for a Dalit at the helm of Karnataka.

The growing Dalit assertion is attributed to changing caste equations in the state, in part exemplified by the insistence of the Congress to conduct a national caste census.

Dalit population

Despite forming 17.5 percent of the state’s population (according to 2011 census) and having strong leaders, the Dalit community feels it has been denied its right to lead Karnataka. The blame is usually put on the domination of Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities.

Over the past six decades, the Lingayats and Vokkaligas have occupied the top post, citing an eight-decade-old caste census. Also, two Brahmin leaders, R Gundu Rao and Ramakrishna Hegde, were also chief ministers. Siddaramaiah, representing the Other Backward Class (OBC), shattered the Lingayat-Vokkaliga supremacy.

Leaked portions of the Kantharaj Commission report, popularly known as the caste census, show that Dalits account now for 19.5 percent of the state’s population. Lingayats and Vokkaligas form 14 and 11 per cent respectively.

Dalit leaders, especially Parameshwar, had staked their claim for the chief minister’s post after the May elections catapulted the Congress to power. But they did not succeed due to two heavyweights, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, who were in contention.

But the cry for a Dalit chief minister has refused to die down. Now the young Priyank Kharge has joined the bandwagon. If Siddaramaiah accepts the caste census as promised and the leaked data of caste matrix proves right, then Dalits will hold an edge over other communities.

Ambitious Shivakumar

Shivakumar’s supporters feel that if the Congress wins at least 20 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, then the Congress leader will again stake claim to the chief minister’s post. Upset over this possibility, Dalit leader Parameshwar’s case is being aggressive pushed.

As part of this process, Siddaramaiah loyalist and Cooperation Minister Rajanna has floated the idea of having three more deputy chief ministers. This, party insiders say, is to checkmate Shivakumar, who is positioning himself as a successor to Siddaramaiah.

Amid the claims and counter-claims, Hungund MLA Vijayananda Kashappanavar and Mandya MLA Ravikumar Gowda’s assertion that Shivakumar would be the next chief minister of Karnataka has created ripples in the party.

Recently, BK Hariprasad, a one-time Siddaramaiah loyalist and now a political bete noire, raised the Dalit issue, batting for Parameshwar.

Open dissidence

Hariprasad questioned the rationale behind denying the post of deputy chief minister post for Parameshwar and criticised the lack of adequate representation in the government for Dalits in key posts.

Priyank Kharge, son of Mallikarjuna Kharge, has thrown his hat into the ring. He told the media in Mysuru that he would take up the mantle of chief minister if the party high command directed him.

Upset with claims of Dalits, OBCs, especially the Valmiki community, too has staked its claim. Valmiki Gurupeetha seer Prasannananda Swamiji demanded the top post for PWD minister Satish Jarkiholi. But Jarkiholi has downplayed the seer’s statement.

Siddaramaiah has resorted to lunch and dinner diplomacy to pacify the disgruntled colleagues. He held a breakfast meeting at his residence with 14 ministers including Shivakumar.

Siddaramaiah and his loyalist ministers then attended a dinner party at Parameshwar’s residence but Shivakumar was kept out. Jarkiholi and social welfare minister HC Mahadevappa attended. Jarkiholi and Shivakumar are known to have differences. Jarkiholi has accused Shivakumar of interfering in Belgavi politics.

Amid all this, Siddaramaiah, sitting pretty in the chief minister’s saddle, has stated in no uncertain terms that he will hold the office for a full term of five years. It is this divided Congress that wants to outfox the Bharatiya Janata Party in next year’s Lok Sabha elections.