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The Hassan rally marks an attempt to build on a strong performance in the recently held bypoll and signals a strategic move by CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar to train their guns at political rivals
At its core, however, the Congress rally in Karnataka’s Hassan may represent a supremacy battle between CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar. (Image: PTI/File)
The Congress has planned a rally in Karnataka’s Hassan on Thursday, with a two-pronged strategy – it marks an attempt to build on a strong performance in the recently held bypolls and signals a strategic move by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar to train their guns at their political rivals and settle some old scores.
Their targets? JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda and Union minister HD Kumaraswamy.
Hassan is traditionally known to be a JD(S) fiefdom and the heart of the Deve Gowda family’s influence, but the party has lost its grip in the area over the years owing to a series of setbacks, including across the Old Mysore that they consider a bastion.
SIDDARAMAIAH’S INFLUENCE IN OLD MYSORE REGION
Siddaramaiah was once part of the JD(S) and served as deputy CM in the Congress-JD(S) coalition government. His expulsion from the party in 2005 after he attended an ‘Ahinda’ rally in Hubballi, marked the beginning of his shift to the Congress.
He called his exit from the JD(S) voluntary and, for his political pride, contrary to Deve Gowda’s statement that he was suspended for “anti-party” activities. The sabre-rattling between both the leaders has been on and off since.
Known to be a popular Ahinda leader with a good political hold in the Old Mysore region, the chief minister is now looking to assert his dominance over the JD(S), particularly in Hassan with this rally.
This push comes at a time when the JD(S) is dealing with internal turmoil, including ongoing controversies surrounding Prajwal Revanna and his family. The Congress is seeing this as an opportunity to weaken the party’s grip on key regions and elevate Siddaramaiah’s stature as the state’s political leader.
In the last Lok Sabha elections, the Congress’s lone victory came from Hassan, where Shreyas Gowda Patil defeated Prajwal Revanna, Deve Gowda’s grandson. In the bypoll, another Deve Gowda grandson, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, lost his third consecutive election in Channapatna, the seat vacated by his father HD Kumaraswamy.
THE PRAJWAL REVANNA FACTOR
After the Prajwal Revanna sex scandal broke out, tension has been rife between the families of Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy. This has further fuelled the instability within the JD(S), creating a power vacuum that the Congress aims to fill. Adding to the party’s troubles, the controversy has further tarnished the family’s reputation.
Prajwal has been in custody since August 30, while his parents, HD Revanna and Bhavani, are out on bail but facing serious charges, including kidnapping. These scandals have left the JD(S) grappling with public trust, especially in its stronghold of Hassan.
Set against the backdrop of these struggles, the Congress rally in Hassan is more significant reflecting the broader political contest between the two parties. By doing this, the Grand Old Party is also taking on the BJP, whose political ally in Karnataka is the JD(S).
“The JD(S) has lost considerable ground in Hassan due to Prajwal’s case. The party is on the back foot, particularly in Hassan, where internal rifts between the Gowda and Kumaraswamy families have worsened. The involvement of Revanna’s children in scandals has further eroded JD(S)’s image,” said political observer Sandeep Shastri.
He added: “Prajwal and his brother Suraj are in the dumps because of certain scandals they are involved in. Kumaraswamy’s son is in the dumps from three consecutive defeats. So, in that sense, the first family within the JD(S) is on the back foot. This could have wider ramifications for the BJP-JD(S) alliance.”
SIDDARAMAIAH VS SHIVAKUMAR?
For Shivakumar, it is all about Vokkaliga consolidation that has taken place under his state party leadership. He is looking at establishing his dominance in Hassan, which is the Vokkaliga bastion and Kumaraswamy’s family base.
But, this has sparked a battle for narrative control within the Congress, with Shivakumar trying to consolidate the Vokkaliga vote and positioning the bypoll victory as his. Siddaramaiah, however, is determined to take credit for the party’s resurgence in the state.
The Hassan rally was initially conceived as a “show of strength” for Siddaramaiah, just like the 2022 ‘Siddaramotsava’ – a celebration of his 75th birthday in Davangere, designed to promote him as a future CM. This time, the rally was intended to give an added push to the CM’s image amid controversies, including the alleged MUDA scam.
At its core, however, it represents a personal battle for supremacy between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, who are vying for dominance in their own way.
The rally was earlier called ‘Siddaramaiah Swabhimani Janandolana Samavesha’ (Siddaramaiah’s rally for self-respect). It has now been rebranded as ‘Jana Kalyana Samavesha’ under the Congress banner.
The event planning ignited tensions within the Congress, with Shivakumar seeking to highlight the party’s accomplishments as the state unit chief and Siddaramaiah’s faction wanting it to be about the CM’s policies, his image, and his outreach via the guarantee schemes.
The change in the name and course of this rally happened after an anonymous letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge reportedly expressed concern over the tendency of “hero worship”. A quick trip by both leaders, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, to Delhi to meet senior leader Rahul Gandhi brought about the change.
The Congress high command cautioned them against using the party platform for personal gains. But, the banners and posters used for publicity do not have Siddaramaiah’s name anymore, while the rally has been declared a party event.
Shivakumar, who is now overseeing the rally, said it is a party initiative under his leadership. The focus, he said, will be on communicating achievements and countering false accusations by the BJP and JD(S) with an emphasis on the people’s welfare, self-respect, and the protection of the Constitution.
“Congress is a big party with a big history. If I want to participate as the president of the party, it should be under our banner. If the chief minister has to participate, it should be under Congress’s banner. I have made it very clear, and they have agreed. Under our leadership, it is going on. I’m presiding over the meeting,” he told reporters.
He added: “No one is a DK Shivakumar supporter or a Siddaramaiah supporter. Everyone is a Congress supporter.”
‘CONGRESS MUST STRIKE BALANCE’
Shastri warned that the Congress may face challenges if it continues to rely on internal rivalry and the decline of the JD(S) or even the Vokkaliga factor as the primary strategy. While narrative-building is important, it could divert attention from the state government’s core responsibilities, especially as the administration reaches its halfway mark.
The success of the guarantee schemes in areas like Channapatna during the bypolls, particularly among poorer sections, could further solidify its base for the future. But, if the Congress fails to deliver and remains mired in internal conflicts, it risks losing public support.
“At the moment, the Congress is benefiting from the disarray within the BJP. With the state unit embroiled in divisions, Congress hopes to turn these fissures into an advantage as it continues its push in Hassan and beyond. But Siddaramaiah must strike a delicate balance between political ambition and effective governance to maintain the party’s momentum,” Shastri added.
The rally of the backward classes was seen as a direct response to the BJP’s allegations of corruption against Siddaramaiah. It aimed at strengthening the Congress base among the Vokkaligas in Hassan district.
The party’s victory in Hassan in the recent bypoll was largely attributed to the consolidation of the non-Vokkaliga vote, which allowed them to outmanoeuvre the JD(S) and BJP. A senior Congress leader working for the rally preparations said the primary objective is to thank the voters and people of the state for their overwhelming support in the recent bypolls.
The Congress won all three seats – Shiggaon, Sandur, and Channapatna – by defeating two BJP candidates and a JD(S) contender. The party is also planning to lend support to women in the district, particularly those who have been victims of alleged sexual harassment by Prajwal, in the last seven years.
“People in the Hassan district have suffered for long, and the Congress will stand by them in their fight for justice,” party spokesperson M Lakshmana told reporters.
