The Congress is keeping a close watch on the developments after the election of Mallikarjun Kharge to the post of Congress President. Kharge is not only expected to help in unifying the faction-ridden party but also strengthen the Dalit vote base given that assembly elections are only six months away. The Dalit community constitutes about 24 percent of the population in Karnataka and Kharge is the second leader to become the Congress President from the Dalit community.
Some veteran leaders of the age-old party opine that the party's strong support base among Dalits has shrunk over the years. This has happened due to multiple reasons including some of the leaders joining hands with the BJP over the years. The Congress' inability to resolve the differences between left and right sects among the Dalits has also led to it losing the support of the Left, who have considerable presence in Karnataka. Kharge belongs to the Dalit right, and his ability to win over the left faction of the Dalits who have moved towards the BJP is crucial.
A large section of Dalit leaders in the party have also criticized Congress for not bringing in a Dalit person as the CM of the state. "Overall, it (Kharge's elevation) is an advantage for the Congress (in Karnataka), but to what extent it will turn into an electoral or political capital, we do not know and have to see," says Political analyst A Narayana from Azim Premji University.
"Ultimately, that dissatisfaction will be addressed only when a Dalit becomes the CM, but it is a distant possibility, given the political realities of the state today...In the meantime, to address this discontent to an extent, it seems to be a good argument for the Congress to say that the top post of the party has been given to a Dalit, and we respect the Dalit sentiments," he added.
However, others like senior Congress leader and former Chairman of Legislative Council V R Sudarshan had a different opinion. He mentioned that Kharge becoming the Congress President is a matter of pride for Karnataka and will help the party's smoother functioning in the state. "It is an opportunity to consolidate (Dalits) in favour of the party... However, Kharge personally has never played his Dalit identity card, even when there was a circumstance for him to become the CM... He has always been a committed Congressman and gone by his performance and loyalty," he said.
With Kharge's elevation, talks concerning the creation of one more 'power center' are also doing rounds. There are also discussions in the party about whether it will be a disadvantage for leaders such as Siddaramaiah who might prefer the old loyalists in the party when it comes to matters such as ticket distribution.
(With inputs from agencies)
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