Bengaluru: It began with veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge joining the race for the Chief Minister’s gaddi when his party was voted to power in 2013, but the chorus for a Dalit leader’s ascent to the top post seems to be growing louder now, much to the discomfiture of incumbent Siddaramaiah.
More leaders in the ruling party are discussing the prospect of a Dalit leader occupying the post after revenue minister V Srinivas Prasad, identified as a member of Mr. Siddaramaiah’s kitchen cabinet, raised this issue and found support from infrastructure minister R Roshan Baig.
Mr. Srinivas Prasad said that as people belonging to all other communities had served as Chief Minister, an opportunity should be given to a Dalit leader to head the state.
Social Welfare minister H Anjaneya, also an acolyte of Mr. Siddaramaiah, agreed with his cabinet colleagues but said that as Mr. Kharge lost the opportunity, though he was projected as CM candidate in 2008, the party could offer the post to a Dalit leader only in 2018, rather than taking a call during the present government’s tenure.
Post the Assembly polls in 2013, legislators backed Mr. Siddaramaiah, and the party high command endorsed their decision.
“When the people’s mandate is for Mr Siddaramaiah, there is no chance for anyone else to become the Chief Minister till 2018. We will request Mr Siddaramaiah to impress upon national leaders the need to elect a Dalit leader as Chief Minister in 2018.
Till then, there is no question of changing Mr Siddaramaiah, who is the champion of Dalits, backward classes and minorities,” Mr Anjaneya told the media here on Saturday.
Sources in the party said Mr Siddaramaiah was upset with Mr Srinivas Prasad and Mr Baig for raising the issue at this juncture, which became evident by the Chief Minister’s retort:
“Why are you asking me? Go and ask the people who are making these statements,” when reporters asked him about his cabinet colleagues speaking up for a Dalit to head the state government.
With KPCC president Dr G Parameshwar and Mr. Siddaramaiah at loggerheads on issues like reshuffle of the ministry, and completion of the exercise of appointing heads for state-owned boards and corporations, the issue could snowball into a controversy, according to senior leaders of Congress.
