Siddaramaiah camp revives Ahinda plank,plans statewide show of strength | Bengaluru News

Bengaluru: Chief minister Siddaramaiah is once again set to invoke the Ahinda plank as his supporters plan a series of district-level rallies across the state, beginning from his home district of Mysuru on Jan 25, amid the continued speculation over a possible CM change.His supporters say the rallies are aimed at focusing his standing as a leader of underprivileged communities at a time when political chatter around the chief minister’s post has intensified due to his reported tussle with his deputy DK Shivakumar. The Mysuru event is expected to culminate later in a massive state-level convention.Ahinda — a Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and dalits — was launched in 2004 when Siddaramaiah was still in Janata Dal (Secular). The movement helped project him as a leader of marginalised sections but also led to his expulsion from the HD Deve Gowda-led party.After joining Congress, Siddaramaiah went on to become chief minister twice, though the party leadership had not actively encouraged continuation of the Ahinda movement. Several earlier attempts by his supporters to organise Ahinda rallies were turned down by the Congress high command, including a proposed programme in Hassan in Nov last year that was later converted into a party event following a bypoll victory.This time, however, Ahinda leaders have decided to press ahead without waiting for formal approval from the high command. Organisers say the rallies are meant to send a clear signal against any move to replace Siddaramaiah as CM. While the Mysuru rally is being organised by the Karnataka State Backward Classes Awareness Forum, other organisations, including the Shichitha Samudayagala Maha Okkuta, are expected to join the statewide mobilisation.“We have no objection to Shivakumar becoming chief minister. He is capable and deserving, but our only demand is that Siddaramaiah should continue in office for the upliftment of Ahinda sections. The Congress high command must intervene to clear the confusion about the leadership change,” forum president KS Shivaramu said after a preparatory meeting for the Mysuru rally Wednesday.Shivaramu said around 50,000 people are expected at the rally at the Dasara Exhibition Grounds. He claimed nearly 75% of Ahinda voters backed Congress in the 2023 assembly polls and warned that replacing Siddaramaiah could alienate a community that accounts for about 80% of Karnataka’s 7-crore population.A section of Congress functionaries supporting Siddaramaiah has also decided to participate in the rally to publicly express solidarity with him. “The Ahinda community is the backbone of Congress, while the party has always stood for its welfare. The Ahinda rally would only strengthen Congress and therefore all party functionaries representing the community are taking part in it,” said BJ Vijayakumar, Mysuru district Congress president.The move comes amid reports of a purported letter written by former minister and Siddaramaiah loyalist KN Rajanna to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, which was recently leaked. Rajanna, an Ahinda leader from the scheduled tribes, is said to have warned of possible erosion of support among underprivileged classes if Siddaramaiah is replaced. Political circles view the letter as part of a broader strategy to consolidate Ahinda backing and push for Rajanna’s reinduction into the cabinet ahead of a possible reshuffle.“I think the high command will soon put an end to the raging speculation. It will also decide on the cabinet reshuffle as it is pending for quite a long time now,” said Rajanna.