Ahinda movement looks to shore up support for Siddaramaiah’s full term as CM

Hubballi: As there is no clarity yet from the Congress high command on the continuation of Siddaramaiah as chief minister of Karnataka for a full five-year term, his supporters, who are part of the Ahinda movement, have now intensified their efforts to showcase their strength across the North Karantaka region.Ahinda Karnataka Rajya Okkuta is now taking the lead in organising an Ahinda convention -- involving local leaders and elected representatives from Hubballi -- to strengthen the case for Siddaramaiah's continuation as CM. Ahinda, a Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits, was launched in Hubballi in 2004 when Siddaramaiah was still in JD (S). This group helped project him as a mass leader of the marginalised sections. A senior Ahinda neta said the chief minister's frequent statewide tours to inaugurate development projects, along with celebrations by his supporters over Siddaramaiah becoming Karnataka's longest-serving CM, suggest he may not get to complete his full term. Though Siddaramaiah himself always insisted he would be in charge for full five years, he changed his tone recently, saying the decision to bring about a change in leadership is in the hands of the high command. "We suspect that some serious efforts were made to change the CM, and there is also speculation that Siddaramaiah may step down at the behest of the high command after presenting a record 17th state budget," the Ahinda neta said, adding that all this has created confusion among Ahindas. He further said Ahinda supporters won't sit idle should there be a change at the top. Siddanna Teji, the honorary state president of Okkuta, told TOI: "We travelled all over North Karnataka and Kalyana Karnataka to mobilise support. We have conducted preparatory meetings to chalk out plans for huge rallies and an Ahinda convention in Hubballi on Jan 21 and also in Kalaburagi, Belagavi, Vijayapura, and other districts. We will hold a meeting to finalise plans for the proposed Ahinda convention in Hubballi on Sunday." He further said there is a plan to change the CM by assuring Siddaramaiah to make his son a minister and his grandson an MLA the next time around. "If this turns out to be true, we will not support Congress in the next election. All Ahinda votes will split and we will support other parties," he added. "We have invited minister Satish Jarkiholi, Byrathi Suresh, and other leaders, including N Rajanna, to take part in the convention to press for our demand to let Siddaramaina continue as CM,"