In a catch-all strategy, the Congress has maintained caste and regional balances by appointing former Minister D.K. Shivakumar as the president of the the State Congress and three working presidents from three different regions and three different communities.
Since the party’s future prospects in the State largely depend on the Congress president and its top office-bearers, the AICC has weighed all options, particularly caste combination, in the selection of candidates. This team was largely formed to take on the State BJP government and chalk out strategies to win the 2023 State Assembly elections.
While Mr. Shivakumar belongs to the dominant Vokkaliga community, his three deputies — Eshwar Khandre, Satish Jarkiholi, and Saleem Ahammed — belong to the dominant Lingayat-Veerashaiva, Scheduled Tribes, and Muslim communities, respectively. The Lingayat-Veerashaivas, STs, and Muslims are spread across the State.
While Mr. Shivakumar hails from the Bengaluru division, Mr. Khandre is from Kalaburagi region and Mr. Jarkiholi from Belagavi. Mr. Ahammed, who contested the Lok Sabha elections from Haveri twice and lost, belongs to Bengaluru division too.
Served as Ministers
Except Mr. Ahammed, all three (Mr. Shivakumar, Mr. Khandre, and Mr. Jarkiholi) have served as Ministers in the previous Congress governments. While Mr. Shivakumar and Mr. Khandre run educational institutions, Mr. Jarkiholi owns sugar business. Mr. Ahammed has served as MLC.
The Vokkaligas have some reason to cheer this time. In fact, S.M. Krishna, former Chief Minister, was the only and the last Vokkaliga to head the KPCC since 1970. Mr. Krishna, who was the KPCC president during 1999-2000, campaigned against the then J.H. Patel government and brought the party to power in 1999 and ruled till 2004.
Placating Siddaramaiah
By retaining Siddaramaiah, who hails from Mysuru region, as the Leader of Opposition and Congress Legislature Party leader, the Congress made its attempt to woo the third dominant caste — the Kurubas. Among the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Kurubas constitute a significant chunk of the State’s population. Overall, the OBCs make up approximately 20% of the State’s population. The party high command has respected the wishes of the former Chief Minister by not splitting the two posts. This would enable Mr. Siddaramaiah to have a say in party affairs.
M. Narayanaswamy, MLC, has been appointed as the chief of Congress in the Legislative Council. He too belongs to the Vokkaliga community. He contested in the bypolls to K.R. Puram constituency in Bengaluru City against BJP’s B.A. Basavaraj, now Minister, and lost.
Two-time MLA Ajay Singh, son of former Chief Minister the late N. Dharam Singh, has been appointed as the party’s chief whip in the Legislative Assembly. He holds an MMBS degree and represents Jewargi constituency in Kalaburagi district. He belongs to the Rajput community.
