After facing the opposition from within the state cabinet and outside those belonging to the communities of Veerashaiva-Lingayat and Vokkaliga politically influential, it is likely that he adopts a “slow” approach to reach a consensus on the implementation of the socioeconomic and educational survey, popular called El Census.
Mr. Siddaramaiah, who presided over a cabinet meeting on Thursday, told his ministers to give in writing the deficiencies of the survey report and suggest ways to correct the inconveniences, if any. Around eight to 10 ministers spoke at the cabinet meeting and the prime minister decided to give the ministers the opportunity to transmit their complaints at the next meeting of the cabinet, sources said in Congress.
Amid the accusations that the survey, conducted approximately a decade ago, did not cover many homes in urban areas such as the city of Bengaluru, the government plans to open for homes, which have not done so and the other sour.
Backed by high command
The report was the product of Congress and the High Command of the Party has supported its implementation. To avoid the anger of political and socially dominant communities, the prime minister could deny the problem when referring to a cabinet subcommittee and buy some time to make a final decision, the sources said.
At the cabinet meeting, some of the ministers of the Veashaiva-Lingyat and Vocculara communities have questioned the parameters adopted to carve new groups for the reserve.
The recommendations of commissions to change Kurubas, OBC, from the most backward category of 2nd to most of them back in category 1B, have not gone well with the groups of dominant castes and their leaders, the sources said. Together with Kurubas, the commission also recommended moving smaller OBC groups or 2a to 1b.
Some of the ministers, including Main Minister DK Shivakumar (A Vokkiga) and Minister of Forestry and Environment, Eshwar Khandre (A Lingayat), have suggested to the main minister that his communities are in the elections of the Legislative Assembly of Party 2.
At present, of the 137 MLA of Congress, 60 legislators belong to the two dominant communities.
A section argues that Congress suffered an electoral defeat in the 2018 Assembly elections due to the government recommendation led by Siddaramaiah to grant religious minority status to the Lingayat-Verahaiva community.
‘Middle road’
Knowing well the relevance of the electoral support of the backward communities, Congress is not ready to lose the support of OBC, Dalits and Muslims.
Mr. Siddaramaiah, an OBC leader, is expected to draw a “middle path” when he reaches a consensus and obtain the support of all communities, said a main leader of the Congress.
Published – April 18, 2025 07:09 PM IST