Congress leaders acknowledge that efforts to consolidate support from AHINDA have been ongoing for many years. Meanwhile, AHINDA organisations are fully backing Siddaramaiah, even after allegations surfaced, considering his undisputed stature and efforts to uplift the oppressed communities.
Published Sep 22, 2024 | 6:00 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 22, 2024 | 6:00 PM
Karnataka CM deposes before Lokayukta(Supplied)
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has, for long, positioned himself as a champion of AHINDA (a Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes, and Dalits).
Amid allegations of Siddaramaiah and his family’s involvement in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam, some political observers believe he is actively consolidating AHINDA support through public meetings and outreach, particularly with the Kuruba community.
Political commentators highlighted that, in the past one and half months, Siddaramaiah participated in at least six public meetings, mainly in Haveri, Belagavi and Kalaburagi, in the guise of inaugurating the statue of freedom fighter Sangoli Rayanna, where the gathering was mostly by backward classes, especially Kurubas.
In these events, Siddaramaiah sought the support of the people, amid MUDA allegations, claiming that he was the chief minister of the backward classes and that the BJP-JD(S) were conspiring to destabilise his chair.
ಇಂದು ಗೋಕಾಕ ತಾಲೂಕಿನ ಕಲ್ಲೋಳಿ ಗ್ರಾಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಂಗೊಳ್ಳಿ ರಾಯಣ್ಣ ಪ್ರತಿಮೆಯನ್ನು ಲೋಕಾರ್ಪಣೆಗೊಳಿಸಿ ಮಾತನಾಡಿದೆ.
ನನ್ನ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿತ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ 40 ವರ್ಷದಿಂದ ಇಲ್ಲದ ಕಪ್ಪುಚುಕ್ಕೆಯನ್ನು ಬಿಜೆಪಿ-ಜೆಡಿಎಸ್ ಈಗ ಹುಡುಕುತ್ತಿವೆ.
ನಾನು ಮಂತ್ರಿಯಾಗಿ 40 ವರ್ಷ ಆಯ್ತು. ಇಷ್ಟು ವರ್ಷ ಮಾಡದ ತಪ್ಪನ್ನು ಈಗ ಮಾಡ್ತೀನಾ? ನಾನು ಮಾಡದಿರುವ ತಪ್ಪನ್ನು… pic.twitter.com/oE5EUeqHAC— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) August 26, 2024
The subtlety is not lost on Siddaramaiah’s confidantes but they want to downplay the attempts. Siddaramaiah’s supporters assert that his connection with AHINDA predates these controversies. They highlighted his consistent efforts over decades to “uplift marginalised communities” and stressed that the allegations were politically motivated attempts to tarnish his image.
Despite the controversy, Siddaramaiah’s AHINDA base remains loyal, with many viewing him as a leader who continues to defend their rights and interests.
It is also important to note that the Karnataka High Court had on 12 September reserved its judgement on the petition filed by Siddaramaiah challenging the approval given by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to prosecute him in the alleged irregularities in the MUDA.
Siddaramaiah’s family has been accused of illegally obtaining 14 sites — at a prime locality in Mysuru — as compensation from the MUDA over the alleged illegal encroachment of 3.16 acres of land by the local development authority. Based on the private complaint, Governor Gehlot had given the nod to prosecute the chief minister on the allegations.
Congress leaders, particularly those close to Siddaramaiah, acknowledge that efforts to consolidate support from AHINDA have been ongoing for many years.
While some suggest that these efforts are being highlighted in light of recent allegations surrounding the MUDA scam, leaders like HM Revanna stressed that Siddaramaiah’s commitment to AHINDA is long-standing and rooted in, both, his ideology and the Congress party’s principles.
Congress’ senior leader and former minister Revanna, one of the close confidants of Siddaramaiah, told South First: “Siddaramaiah has not started consolidating AHINDA support now. He began this effort from day one. He stands for Dalits, Backward Classes, and Minorities. This has always been his strategy. His ideology aligns with AHINDA, which is also the Congress’.
“It is not for him, but for the party. He is a mass leader for AHINDA and the oppressed communities. AHINDA continues to extend full support to Siddaramaiah, regardless of the allegations against him,” he said.
A senior Congress MLA, who didn’t want to be identified, told South First: “There is no need for Siddaramaiah to consolidate AHINDA support because he is already a tall leader in the state. He has always been the voice of AHINDA, irrespective of his positions in politics.”
“He is only presenting facts before the people pertaining to the MUDA scam and seeking their support not just for him but for the party as well during these public meetings. Within hours of the governor giving prosecution against the chief minister, AHINDA outfits across the state came on streets to extend their support to Siddaramaiah,” the Congress leader said.
“The party high command is backing him. He is an undisputed leader and will be. He has never done politics confined to one caste and always strategised in such a way that it helped all religions, castes and communities, especially oppressed communities. Hence, AHINDA will continue to back and stand by him,” the MLA reiterated.
Amidst the allegations of the MUDA scam, AHINDA organisations are fully backing Siddaramaiah, considering his undisputed stature and efforts to uplift the oppressed communities.
ನನ್ನ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿರುವ ಬಿಜೆಪಿ – ಜೆಡಿಎಸ್ ನ ಸೇಡು, ಹೊಟ್ಟೆಕಿಚ್ಚಿನ ಪಿತೂರಿ ಸಹಿಸಬೇಡಿ. ಮಾಲತೇಶ ದೇವರ ಆಶೀರ್ವಾದ-ನಿಮ್ಮ ಪ್ರೀತಿ ನನ್ನ ಮೇಲಿರಲಿ.
ನಾನು ಜನರ ಆಶೀರ್ವಾದದಿಂದ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಯಾಗಿ ಜನರಿಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟ ಮಾತನ್ನು ಈಡೇರಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದೇನೆ. ಮೊದಲ ಬಾರಿ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ ಆದಾಗಲೂ ಹಲವು ಭಾಗ್ಯಗಳನ್ನು ಜನರ ಮಡಿಲಿಗೆ ಹಾಕುವ ಮೂಲಕ… pic.twitter.com/Echt4TUW96
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) August 30, 2024
Federation of Karnataka Marginalised Communities chief convenor KM Ramachandrappa told South First: “Currently, only Siddaramaiah is protecting the voices of oppressed communities (referring to AHINDA).”
“A conspiracy is being hatched by the Opposition to end his political career. Hence, AHINDA has decided to back Siddaramaiah in the MUDA row,” he added.
He continued: “If we compare the budgets presented by other parties when they were at the helm and Congress’ Siddaramaiah, he has stressed the development of AHINDA.”
“Siddaramaiah implemented the SCP/TSP Act, but it is not implemented anywhere else. Similar initiatives were taken by the Andhra Pradesh government but it wasn’t effective. Even the Union government has not implemented it,” Ramachandrappa said and reiterated that Siddaramaiah always worked for the upliftment of AHINDA.
On Siddaramaiah holding a series of public meetings with the Kuruba community in Belagavi and Kalaburagi, he pointed out: “He attended these public meetings to inaugurate the statues of freedom fighter Sangoli Rayanna.”
“Whenever there is an event pertaining to Sangoli Rayanna, the backward classes, especially the Kuruba community will gather in huge numbers. It was not an exclusive meeting with Kurubas but he addressed all the backward classes in these meetings,” Ramachandra said.
He added that they are planning to hold a mega AHINDA convention soon.
Meanwhile, political commentators opine that Siddaramaiah appears to be consolidating the AHINDA support.
Belagavi-based political commentator Ashok Chandaragi told South First: “Former chief ministers Bangarappa, Deve Gowda, and Ramakrishna Hegde are mass leaders and crowd pullers. Siddaramaiah falls into the same category. It is impossible to take him down politically, but he might step down because of legal consequences,” opined Chandaragi.
On reports of the chief minister consolidating AHINDA support, especially Kuruba community, in recent times, he pointed out: “He has the full support of the Kuruba community. Even Siddaramotsava organised in Davanagere in August 2022 witnessed a historic gathering.”
“If we look at his series of public meetings with the Kuruba community (in Belagavi and Kalaburagi), it appears that he wanted to show the mass support he enjoys. He received a good response from all his recent meetings in Belagavi and Kalaburagi as well,” added Chandaragi.
“In the history of Karnataka’s politics, Kollur Mallappa and former minister Vasantrao Patil, who had huge influence in the Kittur Karnataka region, were the towering leaders of the Kuruba community in Karnataka. Patil was in politics for over six decades. Dharwad North’s MP, the late DK Naikar, was also one of the popular Kuruba leaders. Now, no other leaders in the Kuruba community match the stature of Siddaramaiah. Former ministers HM Revanna, AH Vishwanath, and others are from the same community but have not grown to the stature of the chief minister,” he said.
“When Vasantrao Patil was alive, Siddaramaiah barely crossed beyond the Tungabhadra River (Davanagere). He was confined to the South. After the death of Patil, he crossed the Tungabhadra River and began participating in more activities in Kittur Karnataka in the 1990s. Now, there is no greater leader than the undisputed Siddaramaiah in the Kuruba community,” Chandaragi opined, adding that Siddaramaiah appears to be consolidating AHINDA support after the MUDA scam.
Karnataka Border Development Authority’s member and senior journalist Janagere Venkataramayya told South First: “The AHINDA consolidation is being done. It is also a necessity for him. He mobilised AHINDA support even when he left the JD(S) and joined Congress. It is relevant for him even today.”
“There is nothing wrong with consolidating the AHINDA support because his service is still needed for the state. He was never confined to a caste. All castes and communities have awareness of all the developments happening in the state. Hence, they (AHINDA) will continue to back the chief minister. It is not wrong on his part to consolidate AHINDA support because for him his political existence will also matter,” opined Venkataramayya.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil)
