@Evening: 🙋 Beyond Siddaramaiah Vs Shivakumar, New Claims For Karnataka CM Job From Lingayat, Dalit Communities

🤷 An outside shot?

Karnataka Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar are vying for the top political job in Karnataka. But they're not the only ones.

Context: Various caste groups are now making claims for the CM post.

• The Lingayat community's All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha has entered the race for the top job, pointing out that 34 of the Congress' newly elected MLAs belong to the community.

• Dalit community supporters also demanded the appointment of G Parameshwara as the chief minister.

Lingayats assert influence. Previously supporting the BJP, the Lingayats' vote shift was a factor in the Congress victory.

• The All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha told Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in a letter that out of the 46 community candidates fielded, 34 emerged victorious.

• The Mahasabha includes prominent Lingayat leaders, led by 91-year-old Shamanuru Shivashankarappa — the oldest MLA, representing Karnataka's Davangere South constituency.

• The letter added that the community also played a major role in electing other smaller communities in other 50 constituencies.

• With 17 per cent of Karnataka's population, the Lingayat community potentially impacts results in almost 100 seats.

>> "Considering the above facts, we now urge the Congress party to give a chance/consider (a) Veerashaiva Lingayat community leader for the post of Chief Minister of Karnataka state," the letter said.

• The group has also asked the Congress chief to ensure a fair allocation of cabinet positions for their community based on their MLA numbers.

CM from Dalit community? Protestors waved placards saying "a Dalit should be CM" during a demonstration in Tumakuru.

• The demonstration was held by supporters of veteran Congress leader G Parameshwara.

• The Dalit leader has been proposed for the CM's post by his supporters.

Congress campaign approach. The party avoided projecting a single leader as the face of its campaign.

• They did that to take on the BJP's formidable election machinery.

• But it has led to the current dilemma over the choice of a CM.

Bottom line: For now, only the two top Karnataka Congress leaders are in the race.

• Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah appear to have been in and out of key meetings today in Delhi.

• There is no mention of a third name... as yet.