Reasons for Cong’s Hassan convention multi-faceted

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s December 5 convention in Hassan right after three by-election victories is attributed to multiple factors. The Congress bucked corruption charges and won Sandur, Shiggaon and Channapatna on November 13. The Grand Old Party also capitalized on its incumbent government status, delivered the necessary goods and services, especially those under the five guarantees and managed to snag all three segments, boosting its numbers to 137 in the Assembly.

Multiple local factors went into delivering the victories. In Shiggaon, there was a consolidation of the Congress’ Ahinda (acronym for minorities, Backward Classes and Dalits) support base, especially communities like Muslims and Kurubas.

Flexing muscles on Devegowda turf: The Swabhimani Samavesha (self-esteem convention) was originally planned as a retort to JD(S) patriarch HD Devegowda, who had declared in Channapatna that he would “uproot” the Congress State government. Siddaramaiah wanted to challenge Devegowda on his home turf Hassan. The JD(S) patriarch is from Haradanahalli village of Holenarasipura taluk in Hassan district and is a five-time MP from Hassan. The JD(S), especially as of late, has depended on its Vokkaliga vote bank, which they now have to fight over with Congress led by Deputy CM DK Shivakumar.

Siddaramaiah on the other hand wanted to press his advantage and appeal to his Ahinda support base in this convention. The programme is being organised by Shoshita Samudayalagala Okkuta (federation of persecuted classes), an organisation that supports the CM. It is to be noted that this is Siddaramaiah’s last term as CM. Congress doesn’t have an Ahinda leader of his caliber and is likely consolidating their support base.

Change in name, tone: However, Congress has taken ownership of the event in the past few days, which is reflected in the name of the programme going from a “Sri Siddaramaiah Swabhimani Janandolana Samavesha” (Siddaramaiah Self-Esteem Convention) to “Jana Kalyana Samavesha” (People’s Welfare Convention).