Madikeri: Social welfare minister HC Mahadevappa on Sunday urged the Congress high command to elevate a Dalit leader as the next chief minister of Karnataka.Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a Dalit conference in Madikeri, he said Dalits were the backbone of the Congress and the party would weaken if it lost their support. “If the backbone is to be strengthened, a Dalit leader must be made the chief minister,” he said, appealing to the high command to consider the demand seriously.
When asked about deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar’s confidence that the high command would choose him for the post, Mahadevappa said that while everyone aspires to become chief minister, the final decision rests with the party leadership.Earlier, speaking at the Dalit conference organised by Karnataka Dalita Sangarsha Samithi (Krishnappa Faction), the minister urged the Dalit community not to pay heed to rumours surrounding internal reservation within the Scheduled Castes. He alleged that the RSS and BJP were misleading the Dalits on internal reservation. He stated that internal reservation within the Scheduled Castes would be implemented in a legal manner and would not cause any injustice.He urged the Dalit community to unite for a righteous struggle without paying heed to rumours and misguided ideologies, and to fight for the protection of the Constitution and democracy. He suggested that Dalit community leaders in Madikeri unite and organise a massive conference during the inauguration of the Dr BR Ambedkar statue in the city.Virajpet MLA AS Ponnanna, Madikeri MLA Manthar Gowda, and Kodagu district DSS President HL Divakar were present.
