Don't plead for unconstitutional Deputy Chief Minister post; fight for real power: BJP leader

The post of a Deputy Chief Minister is merely a political appeasement tool, says M S Paramananda.

Mysuru: Criticising the recent protests by some Dalit outfits demanding Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) post for T Narsipur MLA and former Minister H C Mahadevappa, BJP SC Morcha State secretary M S Paramananda has urged Scheduled Caste (SC) community leaders to stop settling for "unconstitutional crumb posts" and instead cultivate true political grit.

In a press note issued in Mysuru on Tuesday, Paramananda said, “The post of a Deputy Chief Minister is merely a political appeasement tool, without any constitutional backing. Political parties should stop applying balm to the noses of Dalits by dangling such hollow designations”.

Ambedkar's legacy

Taking a swipe at local protesters, who demonstrated in front of B R Ambedkar’s statue in Mysuru, Paramananda said it was shameful to see people standing in the scorching sun, demanding a powerless position.

“When Ambedkar felt that he was not given a portfolio that could effectively steer the nation towards progress, he explicitly expressed his disappointment to the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and tendered his resignation. In Karnataka, only B Basavalingappa had that kind of courage and resolve. Most leaders after him have proved to be weak,” he said.

Yathindra vs Mahadevappa

Highlighting the stark political contrast, Paramananda pointed out that while Dalit organisations are begging for a DCM post for Mahadevappa, Congress leaders and workers had collectively gathered at the party office to pressure the Congress high command to make outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s son and MLC Yathindra a DCM.

“Does Yathindra have more political experience or seniority than Mahadevappa? Chamaraja MLA K Harish Gowda went a step ahead and demanded that Yathindra be made a Minister and given the Mysuru district in-charge responsibility. If Mahadevappa, as the current district in-charge Minister, could not even win the confidence of a couple of local MLAs, what exactly is his great achievement?” Paramananda asked.

Call for leadership

Terming the Dalit outfits' threat to teach the Congress a lesson as "laughable", Paramananda asked what had the party been teaching the community all these years.

“Stop protesting for a valueless post. Even if someone from the community becomes a DCM, they will lack the administrative muscle and political fire displayed by the Chief Minister-designate D K Shivakumar, who constantly challenged Siddaramaiah to secure what he wanted. The leaders must cultivate that fire, because power is not for personal luxury; it is a political tool to uplift a suffering community,” he said, drawing an example of how a former domestic help, Kalita Majhi, was made a Minister in West Bengal, showcasing the egalitarian power of the Constitution when backed by political will.