Caste groups issue warning to Congress amid Karnataka power tussle | India News

Image Source: Internet

**Revised Title:** "Karnataka Power Struggle: Vokkaliga Groups and Backward Classes Unite Against Congress Leadership | India News" **Revised Article:** The Congress leadership in Karnataka is facing mounting pressure from influential community groups as the debate over the succession of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah intensifies. Two prominent organisations, the Karnataka Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha (KRVS) and the Karnataka State Federation of Backward Class Communities (KSFBCC), have issued stark warnings to the party. The KRVS, which represents the Vokkaliga community to which Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar belongs, has threatened to challenge any move by the Congress high command that sidelines Shivakumar. KRVS President L Srinivas argued that Shivakumar's tireless efforts during the previous Assembly campaign, traveling across Karnataka and strengthening the party, resulted in the party securing 140 seats. Srinivas claimed that there was an understanding between the leadership and Shivakumar that he would become chief minister after Siddaramaiah's two and a half years in office. Support for Shivakumar was also voiced by Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji of the Adichunchunagiri Math, a significant spiritual institution for the Vokkaligas. The seer emphasized that both his personal view and the larger sentiment within the community favored Shivakumar becoming chief minister, citing his long service and loyalty to the party. However, the KSFBCC, which represents backward classes, has issued a warning against replacing Siddaramaiah. Its president, K M Ramachandrappa, expressed concern that threats to unseat a chief minister were not new and would have consequences for the party. Ramachandrappa criticized the involvement of religious leaders in the debate and urged the Congress leadership to maintain stability in the government. The tension between these two groups highlights the complexities of Karnataka's politics, where community loyalties and caste dynamics play a significant role in shaping the state's governance. As the debate over succession continues, the Congress leadership faces a daunting task in balancing the competing interests of its various constituents.