CM Siddaramaiah camp pushes ‘Ahinda’ plank to block D K Shivakumar’s ambition

Bengaluru: As the power struggle in Congress unravels, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s camp is perceptibly preparing the ground for either him to retain the top job or get someone from the ‘Ahinda’ stables to replace him. 

When Siddaramaiah’s son, Yathindra, pitched Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi, an ST, as his father’s ideological successor, it was seen as the stiffening of the argument that power must vest within the Ahinda fold. 

The Ahinda - a political grouping comprising minorities, backward classes and Dalits - has been Siddaramaiah’s electoral edifice. 

Political pundits agree that under Siddaramaiah’s Ahinda strategy, the prospects of his deputy D K Shivakumar, a Vokkaliga, gets scuttled. 

Siddaramaiah, who belongs to the backward Kuruba community, was expelled from JD(S) in 2005, and one of the triggers was that he moved to mobilise Ahinda without the party’s banner. The two-time chief minister carried his Ahinda credentials into Congress. 

“We’ve been part of Ahinda for 30 years. We were part of it in JD(S) and even in Congress,” Satish said on Monday, implying that ‘Ahinda’ goes beyond party lines.

“Siddaramaiah, H C Mahadevappa, G Parameshwara, Mallikarjun Kharge... we’re all a part of this. Our vision will continue going forward.” 

Yathindra’s statement was seen as a move to float Satish’s name for the chief minister’s post. But Satish specified that Yathindra was referring to leadership of the ‘Ahinda’ bloc and not that of the government. 

“That an Ahinda chief minister should lead the Congress government will be decided in the days to come. But right now, we already have a CM,” Satish said, brushing aside buzz that Siddaramaiah will be replaced. 

There is also talk that Yathindra’s statement has not augured well within the CM’s camp, where some are unwilling to accept Satish as their leader.

Meanwhile, the call for a Dalit CM is back. On Monday, a federation of Dalit organisations asked Congress to consider a Dalit if Siddaramaiah is replaced. 

Even Home Minister G Parameshwara, a chief ministerial aspirant himself, backed the demand.

The home minister’s supporters gathered outside his residence on Monday and raised slogans, hailing him as the next chief minister.     

Asked about Food & Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa’s supporters in Shivamogga hailing him as the next CM, Parameshwara said: “Muniyappa is a 7-time MP, which isn’t a joke.

He’s a senior leader. He’s capable and eligible. If Muniyappa becomes CM, I’ll be happy. We belong to the same (Dalit) class. We’ll be happy when the oppressed class becomes the ruling class”.