Congress plans to shore up ST Nayaka base amid setback to key leaders

BENGALURU: With the Congress ST Nayaka leadership facing a series of setbacks, the party leadership is understood to be weighing measures to placate the community ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections. The resignation of B Nagendra as minister, former minister K N Rajanna losing the race for the Apex Bank president’s post and the Enforcement Directorate’s searches linked to PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi have put the party’s handling of its prominent ST Nayaka leaders under renewed scrutiny.

As part of its efforts to address the concerns, the Congress is likely to consider inducting Sandur MLA Annapoorna, wife of Ballari MP E Tukaram, and herself a prominent ST Nayaka leader, into the cabinet. During his meeting with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Friday, former chief minister Siddaramaiah is learnt to have backed Annapoorna’s induction as minister to compensate for Nagendra’s exit.

The positive public response to the BJP’s padayatra from Raichur to Ballari, in an ST-dominated corridor, led by state president B Y Vijayendra and former minister B Sriramulu, an influential ST Nayaka leader, over the alleged involvement of Nagendra in the multi-crore Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation scam, has added to the Congress’ concerns.

The BJP’s attempt to consolidate the Veerashaiva-Lingayat and ST Nayaka vote combination could pose a challenge to the Congress in 2028. The same social coalition had worked in favour of the Congress in the 2023 Assembly elections, when the party won 14 of the 15 ST-reserved constituencies, observed political analysts.

Analysts felt that the setbacks faced by the three prominent ST Nayaka leaders could send a wrong message to the community, particularly if the Congress leadership is perceived to have failed to protect or adequately compensate its leaders.

Rajanna, who was removed as cooperation minister after his alleged criticism of Rahul Gandhi’s ‘vote chori’ campaign, had earlier argued that Nagendra, who was facing an inquiry in connection with the Valmiki corporation case, should not have been inducted into the cabinet in the first place. However, a Congress leader dismissed the perception that the developments amounted to a setback for the party, arguing that the leadership continues to back Nagendra and Jarkiholi.

“Rajanna paid the price for his statement over vote chori. But the party has been backing both Nagendra and Satish Jarkiholi, the community’s influential leader, to the hilt. Both of them will emerge stronger in future. The government will also address the concerns of the community by allocating adequate funds for its welfare,” the leader said.

Raids aimed at tarnishing image: Rajanna

Rajanna on Saturday said the ED searches against Congress leaders were aimed at damaging their public image and political standing.

“These actions and raids are aimed at tarnishing the leaders’ public image, disrespecting them and reducing their popularity and trust among the people,” Rajanna told reporters in Tumakuru.

He alleged that leaders from backward and oppressed sections were being selectively targeted and undermined in a manner that could affect public perception.

Asked about Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s warning that more Congress leaders could face agency raids, Rajanna said: “One should ask the chief minister, as he is an expert with regard to raids.”

Rajanna said such agency operations did not happen overnight and involved months of preparation, gathering of information and phone tapping. Agencies, he claimed, arrive with the expectation that they have strong material against a leader, but when nothing substantial is found, the exercise eventually turns out to be a “damp squib”.