The internal dispute in the ruling Congress for the top post in Karnataka has come to the fore. While Siddaramaiah does not seem ready to leave the post of Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has also not relaxed his stance. There has been a long-running dispute in Congress regarding the formula of two-and-a-half years as CM, but the party high command has not been able to solve this problem till now. The caste equation here is also such that it will not be easy for the high command to take any decision.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is talking about resolving the Karnataka dispute in Delhi. Meanwhile, ethnic groups in this southern state have also become alert about their respective leaders. The situation became such that one caste group warned against removing the current Chief Minister, while the other group supported making Shivkumar the Chief Minister, creating tension in the party.
‘If injustice is done to DK, we will protest’
While the Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar factions have come out openly, the Karnataka State Backward Class Community Federation (KSFBCC) has warned the Congress that if Siddaramaiah is removed from the post of CM, it will not be right and will affect the party. Karnataka State Vokkaligara Sangh says that if injustice is done to Shivakumar then strong protest will be taken.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has the support of the powerful Ahinda. AHINDA – short Kannada name for minority, backward class and Dalit communities – is considered the vote bank of Siddaramaiah, while Congress state president and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar comes from the Vokkaliga community. Vokkaliga is also politically powerful in the state and is associated with the farming community. The situation of Vokkaliga can be assessed in such a way that many leaders coming from this community have become Chief Ministers. Even one leader managed to become the Prime Minister.
Many leaders associated with Vokkaliga became PM-CM
Among those who became Chief Minister, the names of K Hanumanthaiah, KC Reddy, HD Deve Gowda, SM Krishna, Sadananda Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy are prominent. Deve Gowda also became the Prime Minister of the country.
Vokkaliga Sangh wants Shivkumar to be made the Chief Minister. Sangh President Srinivas says that Shivkumar had worked hard during the assembly elections, he toured the entire state and worked to strengthen the organization. It was because of him that Congress won 140 seats in the 2023 elections.
‘Will not tolerate if Siddaramaiah is removed’
Similarly, KSFBCC has put the high command in tension by supporting Siddaramaiah. KSFBCC President KM Ramachandrappa said that AHINDA is deeply saddened by this development. He says that the Dalit community will not bow before anyone. If religious leaders and Vokkaliga Sangh protest, we will also not leave our leader. 70 percent of the population of Ahinda community is supporting the Siddaramaiah government. If any attempt is made to bring down any leader of Ahinda community, we will not tolerate it.
Let’s try to know who has more influence over whom in the power game going on in Karnataka. Ahinda has made a report as internal strife regarding the top leadership has intensified. The purpose of this exercise is to send a message to the party that if Siddaramaiah is removed from the post of Chief Minister, Ahinda may withdraw its support.
How is the caste equation in Karnataka?
According to the report prepared by Ahinda, about 80% of the voters in 19 assembly constituencies of the state’s 224-seat assembly are associated with the Ahinda faction. Whereas in 42 constituencies, 80% Ahinda voters are in decisive role. Similarly, in more than 83 constituencies, 70% of the voters are people belonging to the Ahinda community.
Apart from this, more than 60% voters in 49 constituencies, more than 50% voters in 22 constituencies and more than 90% voters in 5 constituencies are minorities, backward classes and Dalits. Through this report, this group is trying to tell the high command that the minority, backward class and Dalit vote bank of the state is with Siddaramaiah.
At present, efforts are being made to resolve the Karnataka dispute in Delhi. Regarding ending the controversy, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that he will hold a meeting with Rahul Gandhi and select leaders including Siddaramaiah and Shiv Kumar to resolve the matter. Many caste groups of Karnataka have also got involved in internal strife and the kind of continuous dispute that is going on does not seem easy for the high command to resolve.
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