Karnataka Congress leaders, SC/ST ministers and legislators to attend dinner meet on January 8

Bengaluru: Within a week after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's dinner with select Dalit Cabinet colleagues, which created buzz within the ruling Congress, a similar meeting of SC/ST ministers, legislators and leaders is scheduled for Wednesday evening, in the name of consolidating the community's support in favour of the party, but the CM may not be a part of the gathering.

These meetings have come amid speculation over a change of guard in the state after March this year.

While the January 2 dinner was hosted at Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi's residence, which was attended by Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa, Home Minister G Parameshwara and Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna, the Wednesday's meeting is being hosted under the leadership of Parameshwara.

"Tomorrow it is not a party, it's a dinner. We are planning to host a SC/ST convention in the days ahead. We had organised a SC/ST convention in Chitradurga ahead of Assembly polls seeking support. H C Mahadevappa, Satish Jarkiholi, K H Muniyappa, Shivaraj Tangadagi and myself (all ministers now) had taken its leadership. We never did a thanksgiving convention after the polls and coming to power," Parameshwara told reporters here on Tuesday.

"Aimed at organising such a convention, all MLA, ex-MLAs, party office bearers from the SC/ST communities are gathering tomorrow. At the meeting, we will discuss where to organise it, when and other things. As the meeting is in the evening, dinner has been hosted," he said.

Stating that the SC/ST convention that is planned is going to be a Congress event organised under the party banner and others may also associate with it, the Home Minister said, "Resolutions were passed at the Chitradurga meet ahead of polls. We will discuss it at the meeting tomorrow. SC/ST ministers, legislators and leaders will first discuss it and then take it to other ministers and the CM."

Responding to a question about such a meeting being projected differently outside, he said, "Just because it is projected in other ways, should we not stay united? Let anyone interpret in any way they want. The SC/ST community has always stood by the Congress party. They should continue to remain with us. Zilla and Taluk Panchayat polls are coming up. We should listen to these communities, when we are in power."

In the last week's meeting that CM attended, it was learnt that the discussion was regarding consolidating AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) support base that Siddaramaiah champions.

The meeting has created buzz amid speculations of leadership change after the state budget. A section of Congress that supports Siddaramaiah is of the view that he should not resign, and the CM post should be retained within the Ahinda fold.

However, ministers who attended the dinner ruled out any political discussion being held.

Responding to a question about the January 2 meeting, Parameshwara said, "On the occasion of New Year, to discuss internally certain matters, we met over dinner and CM was also invited. The CM said, if food is served he too will join...We had food. There was no political discussion. I think there is no need to interpret it differently." The dinner meeting took place at a time when Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, a chief ministerial aspirant, was abroad.

Shivakumar, who is in Delhi after returning from abroad, said, "He was not aware of (meetings), I was away. I don't have information. After going to Bengaluru I will try and get to know." There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May 2023, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy CM.

There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational chief minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years, but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.