Congress MLC Ibrahim cosies up to JDS, to launch platform for minorities

Bengaluru, 27 Sep 2021 [Fik/News Sources]: The renewed bonhomie between Congress MLC CM Ibrahim and the JDS top brass has raised eyebrows in political circles. This comes at a time when the Janata Dal Secular is facing growing discontent within its ranks, with legislators GT Devegowda, SR Srinivas and K Srinivas Gowda showing an inclination to switch sides.

According to political pundits, Ibrahim reconnecting with JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, has come as a morale-booster for the regional party ---called a “sinking ship” by BJP national general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh.

Ibrahim, a former Union Minister, had recently given a call to Vokkaligas in Bhadravathi to strengthen the hands of Kumaraswamy, indirectly sending a message that he too will be with the latter, ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections. 

To give more credence to the murmur, the senior Congress leader met Kumaraswamy at his Bidadi farmhouse earlier last week.  But political analysts opine that there seems to be more to this renewed friendship than meets the eye. 

The veteran Congress leader is expected to float a minorities’ forum with members cutting across party lines, to work as a pressure group to showcase the relevance of the Muslim community in Karnataka politics. “This will be a win-win situation for both the minorities and the JDS... the party that so far could not actually translate its minority vote base into actual votes,” said a political expert, on condition of anonymity.

Ibrahim was civil aviation minister in the Deve Gowda cabinet at the Centre. Later, he severed ties with Gowda and joined the Siddaramaiah camp, that invigorated the AHINDA (Kannada acronym for Minorities, Backward Classes and Dalits) political idea and came to power in 2013.   “We start our meetings in October. Bringing back the past glory of Karnataka through regional identity politics and showcasing the relevance of minorities who have been taken for granted by political parties till now, are the objectives (of the new forum),” Ibrahim told The New Indian Express.

Asked about quitting the Congress with his MLC term ending in June 2024, Ibrahim shot back, “Who said I have decided to quit the Congress... I am yet to decide my next political move... I am not bothered about the MLC post.”

“I have also discussed with Siddaramaiah about Muslims not getting the respect they deserve politically, despite constituting 18 per cent of the population in Karnataka,” he said. “The decline of Muslim representation in the House is a matter of concern. In 19 Assembly segments, Muslims constitute 30% of the electoral population... but a mere 7 have been elected to the Assembly in 2018,” observed political analyst Sagheer Ahmed.

A senior Congress leader, although admitting the dismal representation of Muslims in the Assembly, clarified that Ibrahim’s “blackmail politics” will not affect the Grand Old Party.