Why did Siddaramaiah talk about Dalit CM in Karnataka?

Even before the results are out, the Karnataka politics have hotted up. Hectic behind the scenes parleys have already begun in a big way. The Congress, which has exuded confidence that it would romp home comfortably, has changed track and has begun making overtures to the JDS.

With reports suggesting that the Congress not likely to get an outright victory, it has already began parleys with the JDS. Senior Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Ghulam Nabi Azad have already arrived at Bengaluru on Monday evening and have contacted Deve Gowda.

With JDS unrelenting on Siddaramaiah, who was once a JDS leader and then defected to the Congress, the high command is planning to propose that Siddaramaiah or Vokkaliga leader Siva Kumar would not be the chief ministers. It is because of this that Siddaramaiah, the star campaigner of the Congress, had said on Monday evening that he was okay for a Dalit Chief Minister.

This means either K Parameswara or Mallikarjun Kharge would become the chief minister in the event of the Congress not getting the absolute majority. Siddaramaiah’s comments are aimed at mollifying an angry JDS.