Bengaluru, Sep 9 (IANS): Congress MLC B.K. Hariprasad on Saturday put up a show of strength against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah by holding a meeting of leaders and religious seers of various backward classes at the Palace Grounds in Bengaluru.  

Hariprasad, without taking the name of Siddaramaiah, targeted him throughout his speech, saying, "Dalit leader G. Parameshwar served for the longest period as the state President of the Congress party. He deserved to become the Chief Minister. In spite of making him Chief Minister, he was demoted from the post of DyCM to a minister. A Dalit should have been chosen for the post of Deputy Chief Minister. Minister Satish Jarkiholi should have been made the Deputy Chief Minister."

"If one thinks that he has formed the government and decides to act as per his whims and fancies, the people will take their calls. You will not become Devaraj Urs (late former CM of Karnataka and icon of backward classes) by sitting in his car. You need to have the thinking," Hariprasad said.

"No CM in the past has pursued caste politics. Wearing a dhoti and watch and claiming to be a socialist will not work. He also maintained that khaki (seen as the colour of RSS) is disguised in dhoti," he said.

"Our community is divided today. When the elections came, there were a slew of announcements. After coming to power, the backward classes have been forgotten. We have not realised the power of our own masses," Hariprasad said.

Narayana Guru Mutt's Pranavanada Swamiji stated that, "how long will you be the CM? Do we have to die waiting?."

Jnana Prakash Swamiji asked why a Dalit can't become the CM?

Hariprasad, an aspirant for the cabinet post, is now with Deputy CM Shivakumar's camp.