Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has hit out at the BJP for not inducting a Dalit MP from Karnataka in the Union Cabinet, saying “upliftment” of the community will not happen just by “talking big”.

Five Dalit candidates of the BJP had won from Karnataka in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

“Upliftment of Dalits won’t happen just by talking big. In the recent elections, several BJP candidates have won from the reserved constituencies. Best wishes to them.

“Despite this, not even a single Dalit MP from the State has got representation in the Union Cabinet. Is there a bigger injustice or betrayal than this?” Siddaramaiah, who is also the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader, tweeted in Kannada.

BJP hits back

Calling Siddaramaiah “Twitter Ramaiah”, the Karnataka BJP hit back at the Congress leader and asked him to make veteran party leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who lost in the Lok Sabha polls, the Chief Minister, if he really cared for Dalits.

People are also aware that it was Siddaramaiah who prevented G Parameshwara (now Deputy Chief Minister) from becoming the Chief Minister as he was a Dalit, the party alleged in a tweet in Kanada.

“Respected Twitter Ramaiah. Don’t show your love towards Dalits only through your tweets. People of the State know that you preventedG Parameshwara from becoming the Chief Minister, as he was a Dalit.

“If you really care for Dalits, make Mallikarjun Kharge, who has lost election, the CM,” the Karnataka BJP tweeted.

On Cabinet expansion

Meanwhile, amid speculation that a Cabinet rejig may defuse the crisis within the ruling Congress-Janata Dal(S) combine in Karnataka, coalition coordination committee chief Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said the vacant ministerial berths will be filled first.

He added that miffed party MLA Ramalinga Reddy would get an opportunity to serve as a minister during the next reshuffle.

On Tuesday, Reddy had had hit out at the Congress leadership for neglecting senior leaders of the party.

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