Karnataka Elections: Hours Before Results, Congress’ Dalit CM Theory May Stop JD(S) from Going With BJP

Bengaluru: With less than 24 hours left for the Karnataka Assembly election results, the ruling Congress has floated the theory of a Dalit chief minister.

Siddaramaiah, the incumbent, himself has said that he was not averse to the idea of a Dalit CM even if the Congress wins on its own.

Triggering all kinds of speculations, he said, “Nothing wrong in making a Dalit CM. I am okay with it.”

The Congress stalwart from Karnataka M Mallikarjuna Kharge has also said that he was still in the race for the post of CM.

Speaking to News18, Kharge said, “I don’t want CM post because I am a Dalit. I can be considered because I am a senior leader of the party.”

Two other Dalit leaders in the Congress, PWD minister Dr H C Mahadevappa and seven-time MP from Kolar K H Muniyappa are also in the race.

According to party insiders, in case of a hung Assembly, JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda may back either of them to appease Dalits ahead of Lok Sabha elections.

But his son and former CM H D Kumaraswamy is favouring a tie-up with the BJP and is not in the mood to do business with the Congress. He is currently in Singapore allegedly trying to hammer out a deal with the BJP, claim JD(S) sources.

According to some Congress leaders, the party is deliberately floating the Dalit CM theory to pre-empt the JDS from going with the BJP.

“If the BJP tries to woo the JD(S) in case of a hung Assembly, we can counter them with a Dalit CM. The JD(S) will be in a fix. It can’t ignore us. The BJP also does not want to be seen as an anti-Dalit party ahead of the most crucial 2019 Lok Sabha elections,” a senior Congress leader said.

The talk of a Dalit CM and the hung Assembly scenario have unnerved BJP's CM candidate B S Yeddyurappa.

He has already rubbished all such theories claiming that the BJP will come to power on its own and he will take the oath on May 17.

Even though the Congress is officially maintaining that it will come to power on its own, many in the party fear that it will be a hung Assembly.

In case of a hung Assembly, a lot will depend on how the BJP high command plays its cards in the next two days.

The Gowda clan is unhappy with both Siddaramaiah and Yeddyurappa. It is expected to ask the Congress and the BJP to look for the other names if the CM post is not offered to Kumaraswamy.