Bengaluru: Kick starting a political grapple for the Chief Minister’s post, as many as 20 Dalit outfits carved out a committee to stress their demand with the Congress High Command to appoint a Dalit leader as the head of the state cabinet.

The organizations on Tuesday convened a meeting here at a private hotel to discuss an action plan after forming a committee to urge the Congress to make a Dalit leader as a CM. This sudden development in the state assumes significance as KPCC president and the CM do not enjoy a good political relationship.  In other words, Dalit organizations are batting for G Parameshwar’s political aspirations.

The newly formed Dalit committee passed a resolution to intensify its demands with the High Command of the ruling party in the state.

On the other hand, the national leadership of the Congress has sought time till the last week of March, to decide its stand on appointing a Dalit leader to the state’s the top post. Significantly, the Dalit organizations in the meeting also vociferously decided to fight against the party, if it failed to meet their demands.

The meeting claimed, AHINDA, Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits played a key role in voting the Congress to power. It said due to this CM Siddaramaiah, a person belonging to backward section was chosen as a CM. “For the next two and a half years, a Dalit leader must be given the opportunity to head the state.”, meeting decided.

The Dalit outfits advised Siddaramaiah to relinquish the post and hand it over to a Dalit leader. The meeting warned that if the demands were not heeded, Dalits would start a movement and create a public opinion that Congress was pursuing anti-Dalit stance. “The time is ripe for the party to appoint a new Dalit CM.” said the Chalavadi organisation’s president K Shivaram. He said the present CM would be given the post of KPCC president, if he resigned as the CM  on his own.