Overview

• Siddaramaiah cited RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s remark about Modi retiring at 75 as a “golden chance” for BJP to elevate a Dalit leader to prime ministerial contention.
• He accused the BJP of tokenistic treatment of Dalits and backward classes, pointing to the downfall of former party president Bangaru Laxman as proof of broken promises.
• The chief minister defended Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s credentials as based on decades of service rather than caste considerations.
• By naming figures like Govind Karjol and Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, Siddaramaiah urged BJP to move beyond rhetoric and make a concrete Dalit nomination.
• The BJP has yet to respond formally to Siddaramaiah’s challenge, highlighting ongoing disputes over caste representation and leadership succession in both major parties.