[1]The message from the Kurubas’ Awareness Convention, held here on Sunday, was unambiguous: Kurubas want their poster boy Siddaramaiah to become the chief minister. Mr Siddaramaiah’s ambition is not only to become the chief minister, but to cobble up an all-India forum of shepherds, who are recognised under different names in various parts of the country. Repeated denials by the Halumata (Kurubas) Mahasabha or the logic offered by Mr Siddaramaiah himself that the convention was not to project him as the chief minister-in-waiting could not dilute the potency of the message from other leaders and pontiffs.
In the presence of an impressive crowd of over 1.5 lakh Kurubas, drawn from different parts of the state, Mysore MP and another leader from the community H. Vishwanath said, “Leaders like Siddaramaiah should become chief minister if the oppressed people have to stake claim to their rights.”
He raised the age-old debate of Aryan versus Dravidian culture, saying, “Lingayats, who are part of the working class, should come out of the clutches of the RSS, which is propounding the Aryan culture.” They should join hands with other oppressed classes, he said, hinting that the largest community in the state should come close to OBCs to dethrone the BJP in the state.
Mr Siddaramaiah said, “Do you think, I can become the CM by passing a resolution here? No. It will be stupid to think that. I have to get the votes of all communities, particularly those from the oppressed classes. If you want power, you go back and get close to other oppressed class.”
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