Power tussle intensifies in state with a new push for ‘Dalit CM’

Bengaluru: Speculationis growing within political circles that the leadership tussle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is unlikely to ease unless Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi intervenes.

Amid this backdrop, a section of Dalit leaders and organisations are stepping up efforts to press for a Dalit chief minister in Karnataka, adding a new dimension to the ongoing power struggle within the ruling Congress.

Sources said plans are underway to organise a major Dalit rally in the Old Mysuru region, demanding that the community be given the top post. Several Dalit leaders are reportedly exerting pressure on Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwara, one of the most prominent Dalit faces in the state, to grant permission and lend support to the proposed rally.

A group led by Venkataramanaswamy, popularly known as ‘Papu’ of Chamarajanagar, met Dr Parameshwara in Tumakuru on Sunday and sought a date for the rally.

However, Parameshwara is said to have advised the delegation to wait for some more time, indicating caution amid the sensitive political situation within the party.

Sources close to the developments said Parameshwara, who is considered part of the Siddaramaiah camp, is reluctant to openly back a Dalit rally at this juncture.

As a long-time loyalist of the Congress and a close associate of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Parameshwara is reportedly unwilling to take a stand that could be perceived as going against the party’s central leadership. Though he recently met Kharge in Delhi, Parameshwara described it as a courtesy call, and details of their discussion have not been disclosed.

Meanwhile, Parameshwara’s supporters staged a protest near the Congress headquarters in Delhi, demanding a “Dalit CM” for Karnataka.

Adding to the pressure, DSS leader Mavalli Shankar said that if Siddaramaiah were to step down, Parameshwara should be appointed chief minister, citing his loyalty and long service to the party.

He announced that a Dalit rally would be organised soon to strengthen the demand.

Mavalli Shankar also argued that despite decades since Independence, many senior Dalit leaders have not been adequately represented in top constitutional and executive positions. “This time, that injustice should not be repeated,” he said.

At the same time, pro-Siddaramaiah AHINDA organisations have begun preparations to hold rallies across the state to support the chief minister continuing in office.

Sources said rallies are being planned in Mysuru and Hubballi, with another major event likely in central Karnataka, possibly in Haveri or Davanagere.

With competing rallies being planned by different social and political groups, the Congress leadership in Karnataka appears to be entering a critical phase, as internal dynamics intensify and pressure mounts on the high command to intervene and restore balance.