Dalit CM: Ministers, aides rally behind Siddaramaiah

'Those demanding change don't belong to Congress'

The Siddaramaiah camp stepped up its efforts on Thursday to downplay the demand for a dalit chief minister.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his close associates and ministers H C Mahadevappa and Umashree spoke in unison. They said dalit organisations demanding the change in
leadership did not belong the Congress party.

Siddaramaiah, replying to questions by the media, said the organisations demanding the appointment of a dalit chief minister did not belong to the Congress. The issue has not been discussed in the party forum. Therefore, there is no need to take up the demand with the party high command. There is no also no need to react to the demand, he said.

He said Congress chief G Parameshwara was not behind the sudden demand for a dalit chief minister.

Public Works Minister H C Mahadevappa described those demanding appointment of a dalit chief minister in the State as “vested interests” who wanted to disturb the secular credentials of the Congress.

Mahadevappa said there was no internal demand in the Congress to replace Siddaramaiah.

Dalit leaders such as Mallikarjun Kharge had been made leader of the Congress parliamentary party in the Lok Sabha and Parameshwara headed the State Congress, he pointed.

Mahadevappa said the chief minister always consulted dalit ministers like V Sreenivas Prasad and himself before taking any decision pertaining to the community.

Mahadevappa sought to know the contribution of the organisations who were making the demand to the dalit movement. “Who are these people?... Have dalit leaders such as Devanoor Mahadeva, B Krishnappa, Siddalingaiah made the demand?” Mahadevappa countered.

He said one of the persons seeking the appointment of a dalit chief minister had contested the Lok Sabha polls on a JD(S) ticket, referring to former IAS officer K Shivaram. Siddaramaiah will lead the party to the 2018 Assembly elections and the high command will decide who should be the chief minister, he said.

At the Congress Bhavan, while interacting with reporters, Kannada and Culture Minister Umashree said there was nothing wrong in airing demands. But one should know when to express their views and demands. She said making statements in the media demanding a dalit CM was of no use. Such issues should be discussed within the party and later taken up with the high command.

Cabinet skips issue

The State Cabinet decided to skip the issue of a demand for a dalit chief minister. Law Minister T B Jayachandra, after the State Cabinet meeting, told reporters that the position of the chief minister was not up for grabs.
“Those discussing and holding meetings at Atria (hotel) are not representatives of the Congress. A visit to Atria, where secret meetings are being held, will confirm who is behind the unrest. Also, you don’t need a dalit chief minister to dispense social justice,” he said.