Rahul may have to make a tough political decision if he has to win the confidence of the tribals, as he successfully did in tribal areas of Orissa recently. When tribals of Kalahandi district in Orissa, resisting bauxite mining in the ecologically sensitive Niyamgiri Hills, sought Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi's intervention, he readily espoused their cause and promised to take up the issue with the Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi.

Hundreds of tribalmen in H D Kote like Jenukurubas, Kadukurubas, Yeravas and others in Saragur, which is the home for the only indigenous tribals in the State, are eagerly awaiting to petition Rahul to provide them the much needed political empowerment, when he interacts with them. “We are going to ask him for the Congress ticket to contest in the coming Assembly elections in the State,” Siddaiah, one of the tribal leaders told this reporter on Monday.

Of 2.5 lakh population of H D Kote assembly constituency, around 75,000 are schedule tribes (ST) and around 50,000 are schedule castes. As per the new constituency delimitation, H D Kote is reserved for ST. Hitherto it was reserved for SC.

Then why the tribals still want to petition Gandhi? “Here lies the whole issue. Of 75,000 ST population, the actual forest-based tribals are just around 15,000. The rest belong to Nayaka community, who are far well-off compared to tribals. And Nayakas do not live in forest at all,” explained President of Vivekananda Youth Movement Dr R Balasubramaniam, who is working for the welfare of tibals for the last several years. He is also spearheading the cause of tribals in the region.

Though, the Government may have been implementing several programmes for the welfare of the tribal population, unless they are politically empowered they cannot be assimilated in the mainstream. The tribal leaders such as Siddaiah have been running from pillar to post seeking tickets from various political parties for the last several years, but his pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

For major political parties, according to Siddaiah, selection of candidates is a sheer number game. They give tickets to those who represent the largest group. So these parties are favouring Nayaka leaders to Jenukurubas or Kadukurubas or Yeravas or Paniyas or Bande Soligas, these are five forest-based indigenous tribes in H D Kote.

Dr Balasubramaniam further said only a major political party can fulfil the dream of providing political representation to these tribals, as they cannot bear the election expenses. “We are pinning great hopes on Rahul Gandhi,” he stated.

SECURITY

Tight security cover has been ensured for Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi, who is scheduled to cover nine districts, will kickstart his road show by holding an interactive session with the tribals of Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra atop B R Hills. A series of meetings with youth Congress workers and tribals have been lined up in Chamarajnagar, Mysore and Kodagu districts on the day one of his trip.

SPG personnel have already taken over the meeting venues in all these places.

History repeats

For the denizens of H D Kote, history repeats when the scion of Nehru-Gandhi family visits this place as part of his road show. Nearly five decades ago, his great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru, and grandmother Indira Gandhi (who was still a child) had toured the place. They had come here to watch the famous Khedda operation conducted to catch wild elephants.