Only Congress can make a Vokkaliga CM, says Siddaramaiah in sharp rebuke to Kumaraswamy
In a detailed post on “I accept with a pinch of humor his accusation that I dragged caste into debate for the sake of the seat,” the Prime Minister said.
He claimed that while the JD(S) leadership projected itself as anti-caste in its discourse, its politics revolved around family loyalty. According to him, the Gowda family had largely treated caste as a vote bank while sidelining other leaders within the party, including those from the same community. Siddaramaiah claimed that leadership within the JD(S) has been concentrated in the Deve Gowda family for generations.
Questioning the party’s record, Siddaramaiah asked how many Vokkaliga leaders were groomed politically by Deve Gowda during his long career and listed several former leaders who eventually left the party. He said their exits reflected a lack of opportunities beyond the family leadership structure.
The Prime Minister asserted that the Congress party has played a historically decisive role in developing the Vokkaliga leadership in Karnataka. Stating that leaders like Kengal Hanumanthayya, Kaidal Manjappa and SM Krishna became Chief Ministers under the Congress banner, he stated that the party is constantly creating space for emerging leaders from the society.
He pointed out senior Congress leaders including DK Shivakumar, TB Jayachandra, Kimmane Ratnakar, M. Krishnappa and Krishna Byre Gowda as examples of continued Vokkaliga representation within the party. “If anyone other than the Deve Gowda family becomes the Prime Minister in future, it will be through the Congress party,” Siddaramaiah said.
Emphasizing Congress’s commitment to social justice, the Chief Minister said the party had enabled leaders from Vokkaliga, Lingayat and backward class communities to occupy the highest office in the state. He added that his tenure as Prime Minister reflected the party’s inclusive approach and expressed gratitude to the Congress leadership for this opportunity. Siddaramaiah also said that the Congress remains the only party that can enable leadership opportunities for Dalit communities based on merit and political growth.
Reiterating that social justice has been at the heart of his four-decade political career, he said he was ready for a public debate on caste and representation, urging critics to introspect before accusing him of practicing caste politics.
