A Dalit CM, why not? Siddu ignites a debate

Shyam Sundar Vattam/NT
Bengaluru, Nov .10

Former CM and Congress leader Siddaramaiah’s statement that he did not have any objection to a Dalit becoming chief minister, has created a sensation in Karnataka politics with some political observes interpreting it as a move to derail the dream of KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar to occupy the top post.
“I have absolutely no objection to a Dalit becoming CM of Karnataka. Ultimately, it is the high command which will decide in consultation with legislators. No party other than the Congress will make a Dalit CM,’’ Siddaramaiah had said on Tuesday.

Ironically, no Dalit has become Karnataka CM in the last seven decades. In 2006, veteran Congress leader M.Mallikarjun Kharge was tipped for the post as he was the senior-most leader of the Karnataka Congress. But the fractured verdict given by the electorate ensured that his dream did not become a reality.

In 2013 in the run-up to the polls, then KPCC President Dr G. Parameshwar was considered one of the frontrunners for the ‘CM Gaddi’ but lost to the JD(S) candidate in Koratagere constituency. With Kharge  shifting to Central politics and Dr Parameshwar losing the Assembly election, luck favored Siddaramaiah who became CM while Dr Parameshwar had to remain content with the post of his deputy after being nominated to the  Legislative Council two years later.

In 2018, Dr Parameshwar won by a big margin but the Congress failed to come to power on its own, forming a coalition government with the support of JD(S) with H.D. Kumaraswamy taking over as CM. As for Kharge, he was  nominated to the Rajya Sabha and is now Congress floor leader in the Upper House.

Siddaramaiah’s statement is being read from various angles. Is it aimed at preventing KPCC President D.K.Shivakumar, a Vokkaliga and an aspirant for the CM’s post from fulfilling his long pending wish? Or is it a move to woo the Dalit vote? So far, the Dalits have not staked their claim to the CM’s post as their demand was snubbed by both the Congress and BJP. However, their hopes were rekindled after the Congress high command made a Dalit the CM of Punjab replacing Amarinder Singh. 

Recently, Kharge had triggered the debate again saying there is a growing demand from Dalits that one of their leaders should be made CM as the state has seen  CMs belonging to various communities.   Among the BJP CMs, B.S.Yediyurappa, Jagadish Shettar and Basavaraj Bommai, are all Lingayats while D.V. Sadananda Gowda, a Vokkaliga has served as CM too.