A commemorative event in coastal Karnataka, marking 100 years since a historic meeting between Mahatma Gandhi and social reformer Sri Narayana Guru, unexpectedly transformed into a significant political spectacle this week. Held in Mangaluru, the function laid bare the simmering power dynamics within the state's ruling Congress party, specifically between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy, D K Shivakumar.
Event as a Political Stage
Organised on Wednesday at the Mangalagangothri campus of Mangalore University by senior Congress leader and MLC B K Hariprasad, the event was ostensibly to celebrate the centenary of the 1925 dialogue between Gandhi and Narayana Guru. The latter is a revered figure, especially among backward communities like the Billavas and Idigas in the Dakshina Kannada region. However, the attendance sheet told a deeper political story.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, an OBC Kuruba leader, was present, alongside AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, a key Rahul Gandhi aide. The conspicuous absence of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, a leader from the dominant Vokkaliga community, was interpreted by political observers as a deliberate signal. It was seen as a display of the consolidated strength of backward classes, a core Congress constituency, at a time when Shivakumar is actively pushing for a leadership change in the state.
Decoding the Power Transition Roadmap
The gathering is widely perceived as a subtle indicator of the Congress high command's thinking on the sensitive issue of succession in Karnataka. Sources suggest that while Shivakumar is pressing his claim, the party leadership may allow Siddaramaiah to continue as Chief Minister at least until the crucial Kerala assembly elections in April 2026. The event also hints at a potential cabinet reshuffle, a move Siddaramaiah favors but Shivakumar opposes, as a possible first step in a phased transition.
Organiser B K Hariprasad, himself a prominent OBC leader and aspirant for a cabinet berth, played a central role. His recent political alignments are telling. After a fallout with Shivakumar, Hariprasad has moved closer to Siddaramaiah, including a notable breakfast meeting a few months ago. "Politics is not permanent" and "power is nobody's ancestral property," Siddaramaiah has reportedly told cabinet hopefuls, indicating his willingness to step down if the high command directs.
One scenario being discussed is Hariprasad's induction into the cabinet before any eventual exit of Siddaramaiah, to provide an OBC counterweight to Shivakumar's influence.
Reaffirming the Social Justice Agenda
Beyond immediate power plays, the Mangaluru event underscored the Congress's commitment to its social justice plank, a strategy solidified in the 1970s under former CM Devaraj Urs to move beyond dependence on Lingayat and Vokkaliga votes. The pending release of a statewide caste survey, championed by Siddaramaiah, is a key part of this agenda. It is likely to be published before any leadership change, a move Shivakumar and other leaders from dominant communities had opposed during the CM's previous tenure.
Hariprasad framed the event in the context of communal harmony, stating it was held to remind people of Narayana Guru's values of equality. The reformer, who fought caste discrimination in early 20th century Kerala, held a lengthy discussion with Gandhi in March 1925 during the Vaikom Satyagraha. The Mangaluru function also marked the centenary of the Guru's Mahasamadhi and his pioneering interfaith conference, the 'Sarvamat Sammelana'.
While Hariprasad publicly deflected questions on leadership change in November, stating matters were "left to the wisdom of the party leadership," his earlier criticism of Shivakumar for singing an RSS-linked song in the assembly revealed underlying tensions. The Mangaluru gathering, therefore, served as a multifaceted political signal: a show of OBC solidarity, a nod to the high command's current inclinations, and a reaffirmation of the party's core ideological base amidst a high-stakes internal tussle.
