Congress SC/ST meet likely to revive 'Dalit CM' demand

The Congress will host a massive SC/ST convention at Chitradurga on January 8 to ‘reassure’ the communities that the party is with them.

The event could also become a launchpad to press for a Dalit to become the chief minister if the Congress comes to power.

“There are 101 SCs and 52 STs. We want to bring all of them on one platform. Their problems are the same and there shouldn’t be differences among us,” former deputy chief minister G Parameshwara told a news conference. Senior leaders K H Muniyappa, Satish Jarkiholi and others were present.

The convention will be called ‘Aikyata Samavesha’ to signify unity among SC/STs. The party wants to mobilise five lakh people.

Asked about the demand for a Dalit CM, Parameshwara said it was up to the party high command. “When the time comes, we will tell the high command. As a national party, the final decision is the high command’s,” he said. “We are coming together to discuss our problems and show our strength to the Congress so that the party is further empowered to solve our problems,” he said.

Top party leaders including AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, KPCC president D K Shivakumar, AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala and Leaders of the Opposition Siddaramaiah and B K Hariprasad will attend the event. “We zeroed in on Chitradurga because it’s centrally-located and it’s not too far away for people in north Karnataka,” Parameshwara said. “Between Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, we want one of them to attend the convention,” he said.

The Congress’ plan to hold these conventions comes amid concerns that the SC (Left) communities had moved towards the BJP.