Karnataka: Congress stares at internal struggle as Dalit leaders demand more Dy CM posts

The Karnataka Congress is facing an internal struggle over the appointment of deputy chief ministers.

With the Lok Sabha polls done and dusted, several leaders have demanded the creation of at least three deputy chief minister posts to represent prominent communities and brighten the party’s poll prospects in the future.

The demand, mostly made by senior leaders loyal to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, is however, being called a ploy by the chief minister to thwart attempts by his deputy DK Shivakumar to stake claim to the chief minister’s chair; and instead engage him in protecting his current turf.

Diversion tactic aimed at DKS?

Even though Shivakumar is eying the chief minister's post, he doesn’t want to relinquish his current position until he is elevated. He is also not ready to share the deputy chief minister’s post with anyone else as he played a significant role in bringing the Congress to power in the state as President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).

As Shivakumar plans to stake claim to the chief minister’s chair after Siddaramaiah completes two and a half years in the post, the latter is said to be countering his deputy by raising the issue of additional chief ministers through his loyalists. Sources say Siddaramaiah’s team also plans to corner Shivakumar by highlighting his failure to retain the Vokkaliga belt in the Old Mysuru region during the Lok Sabha polls, where his brother lost.

In 2023, after the Congress won the Assembly polls in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, an AHINDA (a Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes, and Dalits) leader, was chosen as the chief minister by the party high command for his mass appeal among these communities.

Dalit leaders lobby for deputy CM post

As part of this apparent plan by Siddaramaiah, ministers including Satish Jarkiholi, KN Rajanna, and BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan are openly advocating for the post of deputy chief ministers in Siddaramaiah's cabinet. Jarkiholi, Rajanna, and Dr. G Parameshwara have also demanded the appointment of a Dalit deputy chief minister in Siddaramaiah's cabinet.

A minister in Siddaramaiah’s cabinet has told The Federal that this move has been orchestrated to create a situation where Shivakumar will be content with the deputy chief minister's position and not eye the chief minister’s post.

In recent days, leaders have been commenting on having additional deputy chief ministers, irking the party high-command.

Congress president M Mallikarjun Kharge had openly asked leaders not to comment on such issues before the Lok Sabha polls. As the polls are over now, Dalit leaders have raked up the issue and are said to be lobbying hard for a deputy chief minister from their community with the chief minister said to be directly supporting the move.

Snub by high command?

While leaders from Siddaramaiah's faction, including Khan and Jarkiholi, have raised the issue, minister Rajanna has suggested creating more deputy chief minister positions to represent different communities.

Sources say the state Congress leaders are likely to travel to Delhi soon to discuss the matter with the party high command. Jarkiholi has already gone to Delhi, and other leaders might meet with the high command as well, sources said.

However, Congress president Kharge’s son, Priyank Kharge, a minister in Siddaramaiah’s cabinet, has indirectly conveyed a message from his father to the chief minister’s alleged faction, questioning the need for multiple deputy chief ministers.

Reacting to Rajanna’s proposal, Priyank said that such a decision should be left to the senior leaders in Delhi. He reiterated that everyone has the right to ask for positions, but questioned the feasibility and effectiveness of having multiple deputy chief ministers.

Priyank also pointed out that the party needs to reflect on why it did not meet the seat expectations in the Lok Sabha elections.

Power struggle

The emerging fight within the Karnataka Congress highlights the internal power struggle and challenges the party faces in maintaining unity and addressing the concerns of various community representatives.

As the leaders prepare to take their case to the high command in Delhi, the outcome of this tussle will significantly impact the party’s future dynamics and leadership structure.

Before the Lok Sabha elections, Rajanna had demanded the creation of community-based deputy chief minister positions, arguing that it would help secure the support of various communities for the party in the elections.

Home Minister Parameshwara and Satish Jarkiholi, among others, had also expressed agreement with this idea, and internal meetings were held to discuss it.

The post of the deputy chief minister was created to accommodate Shivakumar, who was a strong contender for the chief minister’s position after the party won the Assembly polls in Karnataka. At that time, senior Congress leader Basavaraj Rayareddy had proposed making Shivakumar the principal deputy chief minister and appoint others as regular deputy chief ministers. This suggestion led to a heated discussion, and Shivakumar complained to the high command, resulting in a temporary halt to the debate.

BJP example

In the wake of the party's underperformance in the Lok Sabha elections and ahead of the upcoming district, taluk panchayat, and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike elections, aspirant ministers have started issuing statements about the need for community-based deputy chief ministers again.

Jarkiholi has emphasised the need for collective discussions by senior party leaders in Delhi on the issue while Rajanna has said that ignoring leaders could rob the party of the trust among communities.

Rajanna asserted that creating deputy chief ministers is a feasible option and the BJP has proved its efficacy in several states.

He argued that having more deputy chief ministers would increase community pride and trust in the party. Rajanna also mentioned that the topic wasn't raised during the busy Lok Sabha election period but has now been brought up by several ministers, including Khan and Jarkiholi. The decision ultimately rests with the central leadership.

Here's why aspirants want the creation of more deputy chief minister posts:

*Congress lost 19 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state because no community leadership was recognised prior to elections.

* If deputy chief minister posts were created, they would have helped the party.

*For the future, community leadership needs to be recognised as the party faces local body elections. Second-line leadership needs to be groomed for the party's future in the state.

*Deputy chief minister posts should be given to a Dalit, a Lingayat, and a minority leader. Siddaramaiah represents the Backward Classes, and Shivakumar represents the Vokkaligas. Thus, the three other major communities should be given preference (the leaders propose a plan of one chief minister and four deputy chief ministers for Karnataka).