<p>Mysuru: Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, on Wednesday, urged the Dalit leaders in the Congress to reject Cabinet portfolios and stage a protest, if the party high command fails to nominate a Dalit leader as the chief minister.</p><p>Addressing a press conference in Mysuru, Narayanaswamy said, “I have no objections if Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar becomes chief minister. However, it hurts deeply if the Congress continues to treat Dalits merely as a vote bank, falsely promising them the top post.”</p>.'Make Shivakumar Karnataka CM': Pranavananda Swamiji urges Congress.<p>He was commenting on the speculations that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah may step down, to make way for a new CM, possibly Shivakumar, following their meetings with the party high command in New Delhi, since Tuesday.</p><p><strong>'Sugar-less leadership'</strong></p><p>Launching a verbal attack on the state ruling party, the BJP leader alleged that the Congress leaders from the Dalit community "lack the spine to demand their rights". “The Congress has completely cornered and suppressed the Dalit leaders. The Dalit leadership in the Congress is like "sugar-less and seed-less" varieties; they completely lack the power to demand leadership,” he said.</p><p>He advised the Dalit leaders of the Congress to safeguard their self-respect, if they truly revere Dr B R Ambedkar. “Reject the Cabinet positions as a mark of protest. I also advise the Dalit workers to quit the Congress and join other political parties,” he added.</p><p><strong>BJP’s stance</strong></p><p>When asked if the BJP would pitch for a Dalit chief minister if voted to power, Narayanaswamy said, “Our party has consistently given high positions to Dalits, without us even asking. They will certainly give the chief minister post too. Miracles are possible only in the BJP.”</p><p>He took a dig at the ongoing political tussle in the state Congress, describing it as an "agonisingly delayed and complicated delivery". “The administration's fate will not change. D K Shivakumar has been frequently meeting BJP leaders in Delhi, which might be why the panicked Congress high command is yielding to him now, to avoid a political disaster,” he claimed.</p>
<p>Mysuru: Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, on Wednesday, urged the Dalit leaders in the Congress to reject Cabinet portfolios and stage a protest, if the party high command fails to nominate a Dalit leader as the chief minister.</p><p>Addressing a press conference in Mysuru, Narayanaswamy said, “I have no objections if Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar becomes chief minister. However, it hurts deeply if the Congress continues to treat Dalits merely as a vote bank, falsely promising them the top post.”</p>.'Make Shivakumar Karnataka CM': Pranavananda Swamiji urges Congress.<p>He was commenting on the speculations that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah may step down, to make way for a new CM, possibly Shivakumar, following their meetings with the party high command in New Delhi, since Tuesday.</p><p><strong>'Sugar-less leadership'</strong></p><p>Launching a verbal attack on the state ruling party, the BJP leader alleged that the Congress leaders from the Dalit community "lack the spine to demand their rights". “The Congress has completely cornered and suppressed the Dalit leaders. The Dalit leadership in the Congress is like "sugar-less and seed-less" varieties; they completely lack the power to demand leadership,” he said.</p><p>He advised the Dalit leaders of the Congress to safeguard their self-respect, if they truly revere Dr B R Ambedkar. “Reject the Cabinet positions as a mark of protest. I also advise the Dalit workers to quit the Congress and join other political parties,” he added.</p><p><strong>BJP’s stance</strong></p><p>When asked if the BJP would pitch for a Dalit chief minister if voted to power, Narayanaswamy said, “Our party has consistently given high positions to Dalits, without us even asking. They will certainly give the chief minister post too. Miracles are possible only in the BJP.”</p><p>He took a dig at the ongoing political tussle in the state Congress, describing it as an "agonisingly delayed and complicated delivery". “The administration's fate will not change. D K Shivakumar has been frequently meeting BJP leaders in Delhi, which might be why the panicked Congress high command is yielding to him now, to avoid a political disaster,” he claimed.</p>
