Champion of Dalits, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on backfoot after losing two ST ministers in two years

The ruling Congress has gone into a defensive mode not reacting much to the constant barbs hurled at it by the Opposition BJP over the firing of Valmiki community (ST) minister KN Rajanna.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah removed Rajanna from the ministry on directions from the AICC leadership, displeased over his critical comments on “votes theft.” His removal from the Cabinet comes a year after another Valmiki minister B Nagendra resigned after allegations of diversion of funds meant for the welfare of ST members surfaced.

Rajanna’s ouster has been a shocker for Siddaramaiah as the MLA from Tumakuru district has been a loyal follower, known for his blunt talk. His exit comes at a time the chief minister had been trying hard to bring back Nagendra into the Cabinet.


The Cabinet is down by two ST ministers, a message that is unlikely to go down well with the community. Siddaramaiah, a leader from the backward class Kuruba community, has cemented his position as a tall leader of the Ahinda (acronym of minorities, backward classes and Dalit) voters. He would not allow anything that would dent this image. The community will now doubt his ability to protect its political interests.

The way Rajanna was removed will exact its own political price, said an ST leader, pointing out that the Valmiki members have organized themselves well in the past ten years. The BJP too has been trying to foment anger in the numerically strong community by talking in praise of Rajanna’s remarks and projecting him as a victim. “The Congress government is always ready to betray the Valmiki community,” the BJP posted on X, in a clear attempt to alienate the Valmiki community from the Congress.

The ST subgroup makes up about 14% of the state’s population, an ST community researcher estimated, not willing to be identified. The BJP consistently promoted B Sriramulu only because the party knows the political importance of the community, he said. Valmiki members are spread across half of Karnataka and can make or spoil the chances of candidates in several constituencies, he said.

The removal of an ST minister comes at a time when the community has been trying to assert itself politically, with the hopes of community member emerging as the CM soon.