The two leaders, who were once colleagues in the Janata Dal & later JD(S), got into a war of words with each pointing an accusatory finger at the other questioning each other’s political commitment.
Siddaramaiah fired the first salvo insisting that Kumaraswamy and former PM HD Deve Gowda would promote family interests over the political growth of the Vokkaliga community.
“If you really believe only the Congress would make a Vokkaliga leader as CM, then should not you be vacating your chair? This is the right time to demonstrate your love for Vokkaligas,” Kumaraswamy said.
Both Kumaraswamy and Dy CM DK Shivakumar belong to Karnataka’s second largest community of Vokkaligas, while Siddaramaiah is a Kuruba leader who has cemented his position as a champion of minorities, OBCs and Dalits (Ahinda). Kumaraswamy’s dig at the CM comes amid a leadership tussle between the CM and Dy CM.
Siddaramaiah, in a post on X, said while the JD(S) leadership projected itself as anti-caste in rhetoric, its politics revolved around family loyalty. According to him, the Gowda family had treated caste largely as a vote bank while sidelining other leaders within the party, including those from the same community. Siddaramaiah claimed that leadership within the JD(S) had remained concentrated within the Deve Gowda family across generations.
Questioning the party’s record, Siddaramaiah asked how many Vokkaliga leaders had been politically nurtured by Deve Gowda during his long career, listing several former leaders who eventually left the party. Their exits, he said, reflected a lack of opportunities beyond the family leadership structure.The CM asserted that the Congress party had historically played a decisive role in promoting Vokkaliga leadership in Karnataka. Kumaraswamy replied: “I welcome the Congress party’s generosity in offering a stable leadership position to the Vokkaliga community. Now you must demonstrate the same generosity.” The JDS l leader urged Siddaramaiah to reveal the deal that was struck on the leadership succession ahead of his taking over as CM for a second term in May 2023.
Earlier, Siddaramaiah emphasised the Congress’ commitment to social justice, and added that the Congress enabled leaders from Vokkaliga, Lingayat and backward class communities to occupy the State’s top post. He added that his own tenure as CM reflected the party’s inclusive approach and expressed gratitude to Congress leadership for the opportunity.
