There seems to be more than what meets the eye in the ‘Kuruba Awareness Rally’ scheduled to be held in Davanagere on Sunday notwithstanding efforts by the organisers to clarify that it was an apolitical event.
“We are observing the centenary year of the Kuruba Sangh. So, no politics attached to it. Over a lakh are scheduled to turn up at Sunday’s event which is the first in a series of programmes to be held across the state,” was how the organisers attempted to explain the whys and wherefores of the rally.
They even displayed the invite with names of president of state unit of BJP, K.S. Eshwarappa, and Janata Dal (S) leader, Bandeppa Khashampur. Sources in the BJP, however, made it clear that Mr Eshwarappa would not attend the rally on Sunday.
Sources in the Congress, however, said leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Mr Siddaramaiah, would use the opportunity to project himself as the ‘undisputed’ leader of the third largest community as part of the strategy to prop himself as a contender for the Chief Minister’s post in the event of the party coming to power in next year’s polls to the Legislative Assembly. Such a projection would force the top brass to accept him as the Chief Minister candidate. “He is taking a calculated risk by demonstrating his might. Mr Siddaramaiah’s long term strategy will be to get as many votes of Kurubas for the party so that he can demand the chief ’minister’s post,” the sources added.
The sources, however, warned that such moves by Mr Siddaramaiah could prove counter-productive. For, such attempt by leaders in the past to project themselves as leaders ahead of Assembly polls have back-fired. “He is yet to prove himself in the entire state with the support of party workers of all communities, not merely in pockets dominated by Kurubas. Earlier, he tried to emerge as a leader of minorities, dalits and OBCs but gave up half way. So, his strategy to project himself as a mass leader, one who is more popular than seniors in the Congress might not work out," the sources added.