In a detailed post on X, Siddaramaiah said he was “not surprised” by Kumaraswamy’s criticism of his recent newspaper article and dismissed allegations that he had invoked caste politics for political gain. “I take his accusation that I dragged caste into the debate for the sake of the chair with a pinch of humour,” the Chief Minister said.
He alleged that 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 Chief Minister asserted that the Congress party had historically played a decisive role in promoting Vokkaliga leadership in Karnataka. Leaders such as Kengal Hanumanthayya, Kadidal Manjappa and S.M. Krishna became Chief Ministers under the Congress banner, he noted, adding that the party had consistently created space for emerging leaders from the community.
He pointed to senior Congress leaders, including D.K. Shivakumar, T.B. Jayachandra, Kimmane Ratnakar, M. Krishnappa and Krishna Byre Gowda, as examples of continuing Vokkaliga representation within the party. “If anyone outside the Deve Gowda family becomes Chief Minister in the future, it will be through the Congress party,” Siddaramaiah said.
Emphasising Congress’ commitment to social justice, the Chief Minister said the party had enabled leaders from Vokkaliga, Lingayat and backward class communities to occupy the State’s top post. He added that his own tenure as Chief Minister reflected the party’s inclusive approach and expressed gratitude to Congress leadership for the opportunity.Siddaramaiah also said the Congress remained the only party capable of enabling leadership opportunities for Dalit communities based on merit and political growth.
Reiterating that social justice had been central to his four-decade political career, he said he was ready for a public debate on caste and representation, urging critics to introspect before accusing him of practising caste politics.
