After the Congress' thumping victory in Karnataka polls, it looks like the grand old party is facing the challenge of accommodating people not only for the CM post, but also for the Deputy CM post and cabinet chairs.
Muslim MLA should be made Deputy CM: Sunni Ulma Board
The Sunni Ulma Board's leaders have voiced their view that a member of their community who has won the state assembly elections should be appointed as the deputy chief minister of Karnataka.
According to reports from the media, they have additionally requested that five MLAs who are Muslim should be designated as ministers and entrusted with significant portfolios like Home, Revenue, and Health departments.
Waqf Board chairman Shafi Sadi, talking to reporters, said: "We already said before the elections that the deputy chief minister should be a Muslim and that 30 seats be given to us... We got 15, and nine Muslim candidates have won. In about 72 constituencies, the Congress won purely because of the Muslims. We, as a community, have given a lot to the Congress. Now it's time we get something in return. We want a Muslim deputy chief minister and five ministers with good portfolios like Home, Revenue, and Education. It's the responsibility of the Congress to thank us with this. We held an emergency meeting in the Sunni Ulma board office to ensure all these are implemented."
Sadi, however, said it is irrelevant who among the nine MLAs gets the five portfolios.
Congress won because of the Muslim community's support: Sadi
“That will be decided by the Congress based on who has worked well and is a good candidate. Many Muslim candidates have also visited other constituencies and canvassed there, ensuring Hindu-Muslim unity, sometimes leaving their constituency behind. So they have a key role in the Congress's victory. They have to have an ideal Deputy CM from the Muslim community. It is their responsibility," Sadi went on to add.
“It must happen for sure. It was our demand before the elections itself. It must be fulfilled. We are only asking for a Deputy CM to be the Muslim. Ideally, it should be a Muslim CM because Karnataka has never had one in its history, and 90 lakh people in the state are Muslims. We are the largest minority community apart from the SCs. We didn't get the 30+ seats we wanted. But we at least want five Muslim ministers like during SM Krishna's period and now a Deputy CM. That's what we want,” he reiterated again.
BJP's IT cell head Amit Malviya tweeted about this demand of Sadi and said: "Secularism of the Congress kinds comes with a price. Looks like the Congress has gone overboard with its commitments, thinking they will never win, but unfortunately for them, their plans have gone awry."
Shafi Sadi is BJP's man: Congress
After the BJP raised the issue, the Congress said Shafi Sadi is backed by the BJP and BJP making it an issue to attack the Congress which wrested the southern state from the BJP in a thumping victory is "a bit too much".
Taking swipe at Malviya, Congress's Pawan Khera said, "I understand your need to fake. But this is a bit too much. Shafi Sadi is backed by BJP."
Khera also attached a link of a news story which said Sadi was supported by the BJP in Waqf board chairman election.
This fresh controversy has arisen amidst the intensifying battle for the chief minister's post, a day after the newly elected MLAs in Karnataka authorized Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge to select the next CM. The two leading contenders for the position, Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar, will be traveling to Delhi. The Congress party may consider a CM-deputy CM allocation, as was done in Rajasthan when Ashok Gehlot became the chief minister and Sachin Pilot became the deputy. However, this approach did not end well in Rajasthan and the demand for a Muslim deputy CM by the Waqf Board could create further problems for such a solution in Karnataka.
