Cong lacks Lingayat face

By Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: The Congress may have called off the Mekedatu padayatra temporarily but it has definitely sent out a message to the ruling BJP that it is all set to grab power in the 2023 Assembly polls.

The unity among senior leaders, enthusiasm of party workers and the response of the general public is sufficient to conclude that the Congress is on the comeback trail. Congressmen knew well that one of the reasons for their rout in the 2018 Assembly polls was the attempt to divide the Lingayats and the Veerashaivas on the advice of some leaders.

Despite strong opposition to it from Congress’ Lingayat leaders led by M.B.Patil, the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah went ahead and constituted a committee for the separation of Lingayats from Veerashaivas, and paid the price. For this reason, D.K.Shivakumar in an open meeting on the day of assuming charge as KPCC President, admitted that it was the biggest blunder committed by them while in power.

Having burnt its fingers, the Congress Party is only talking of development and welfare of one and all. But it played a game by supporting the State Government on the Protection of Hindu temples bill keeping in mind the Hindu vote but strongly opposed the Anti-conversion bill keeping the Christian votes in mind and the Anticow slaughter bill considering the minority vote.

Going by the indications, the Congress will definitely perform well in the coastal Karnataka region which has a sizeable number of Christian votes. The Congress stood behind the Christian community like a boulder knowing well that they were sure to get those votes. On the other hand the BJP that initially made a big noise over the installation of the Jesus Christ statue in Kanakapura taluk kept quiet for reasons best known to them..

As usual Revenue Minister R. Ashok has constituted a committee to find out the legality of the statue but it is not known whether the panel has submitted its findings or not.

The biggest drawback for the Congress has been the total sidelining of Lingayat leaders. Already the community members have met once or twice over this issue but they lack strong leadership. After the demise of Veerendra Patil, the Congress did not have a strong leader to lead the community. Former minister H.K.Patil who had staked his claim for the CM gaddi, backed out due to lack of consensus among his community leaders itself. He has been a loyal soldier of the Congress but is not ready to openly identify himself as the voice of the Lingayats.

Seeing the competition between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah to become CM, the Lingayats cannot dream of the post until Siddaramaiah becomes CM for a second time or Shivakumar occupies the CM gaddi for the first time. This issue would be used by the BJP saying that the Congress did not make a Lingayat the CM as compared to their party which made three Lingayats CM-Yediyurappa, Jagadish Shettar and Basavaraj Bommai.

The Congress may not have a counter to this question by the BJP. Similarly, the grand old party of India cannot defend itself over denial of the CM post to a dalit.Senior dalit leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge and Dr G.Parameshwar are tired of expressing their dissatisfaction over this issue but their hands are tied as everything is decided by the high command.

The Gandhis have also not recognised the loyalty of Kharge and Parameshwar and considered them for the CM post.

Siddaramaiah is already ready to take oath as the CM for a second time to fulfill the promises made to the people. So as a wisecrack quipped, any contender for the CM post in the Congress would inevitably receive the reply, ‘’ Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are in the race, please wait for your turn”.