Siddaramaiah pulls out Ahinda card, but may not be able to encash it

Bengaluru, 10 Feb 2021 [Fik/News Sources]: Former Chief Minister and Opposition Leader Siddaramaiah is getting ready to hold Ahinda (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) conventions in four regions across the state, after next month’s budget session. With this, Siddaramiah is hoping to repeat the magic of 2013. 

Despite being the tallest leader of the Kurubas, Siddaramaiah skipped Sunday’s community convention in Bengaluru, organised by RDPR Minister KS Eshwarappa and other leaders, demanding ST category for the community. In a counter of sorts, he is ready to once again use his Ahinda card that helped him become chief minister. 

Sources close to Siddaramaiah told TNIE that he will be holding conventions in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Kalaburagi and Belagavi. “Siddaramaiah had organised similar Ahinda conventions prior to the 2013 elections. This convention won’t be limited to demanding reservation for Kurubas, but also other backward classes, including Idigas, Thigalas and Upparas. He will be demanding reservation based on their population. The dates are yet to be finalised, and he will discuss it with the party high command and proceed,’’ sources said. Siddaramaiah, who skipped the Kuruba convention, wants to take other backward classes into confidence.

Senior Congress leader BL Shankar said mobilising traditional voters will help strengthen the party, as these people are facing issues due to lockdown, GST, demonetisation and other factors. “There are attempts to divide them by demanding reservation for a particular caste. By holding such conventions, one will get to know their issues. As on date, it has not been discussed in the party, but Siddaramaiah will proceed, taking party leaders into confidence,’’ he added. 

In 2005, Siddaramaiah, then a senior JDS leader, had held Ahinda conventions and was expelled from the JDS. He joined the Congress in 2006. Siddaramaiah calls himself a backward classes leader and represents the Kuruba community, one of the largest castes in Karnataka after Lingayats and Vokkaligas. Soon after he became chief minister in 2013, he announced a number of Bhagya schemes or welfare programmes for the backward classes. However, the Ahinda card did not help him get votes in the 2018 Assembly elections.“Things have changed. The BJP is looking at backward classes as a consolidated Hindu vote, and dividing Hindu votes might boomerang on Siddaramaiah, if he lays too much stress on Ahinda,” said a political analyst.