G Parameshwara considers himself in CM race amid speculations of leadership change in Karnataka

BENGALURU:  Home Minister G Parameshwara on Sunday implied that he also remains in the Chief Ministerial race amid speculations regarding a change of leadership in the state.

It is no secret that demands for a CM from the Dalit community have surfaced multiple times within the Congress.

When asked about the repeated meetings of Congress leaders from the Dalit community, including him, and Karnataka Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Satish Jarkiholi, Parameshwara said, “Dalits have been asking for the CM post for a long time.”

“Will it happen because we met?” he asked.

Parameshwara’s remarks come in the backdrop of a dinner recently hosted by Jarkiholi for leaders from the Dalit community at his residence.

“We had dinner together at Satish Jarkiholi’s (house). Is that wrong? We also talked about politics during the meeting. As ministers in the government, we discussed the works that need to be undertaken in the departments,” he informed.

Parameshwara further stated that leaders from the Dalit community have met to discuss issues, including internal reservation among Schedule Castes (SCs). “We are all like-minded. The fight over internal reservation is over,” he said, asking, “Should we not discuss our problems?”

“I have always been in the CM race. In 2013, I was the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). We brought the Congress government to power then. I have never said that I brought the government to power alone. Everyone worked together. People voted and made the party win. I was defeated at that time. I don’t know what would have happened if I had won. They give the KPCC president a chance. That is not followed in some cases,” Parameshwara said.

The senior Congress leader further wrote off reports of “problems” within the party over the issue of possible power change, and said that there was no problem in the party or the (state) government. He clarified that no decisions are made in the party without the high command’s go-ahead.

When asked about any word from the high command on a possible change in leadership, Parameshwara said it was up to the Congress high command to suggest changes, but that time has not come yet.

“Observers from the AICC had come during the selection of the Chief Ministers. It happened before them in the CLP (Congress Legislature Party) meeting. Siddaramaiah did not say that he would be the CM for two and a half years. It is up to the high command to make a change in the middle.

When the occasion arises, the high command will do it. They replaced Bangarappa with Veerappa Moily. I don’t think that time has come now,” he asserted.

Parameshwara said that Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, who hails from Karnataka, will decide on a leadership change if required. He said that any confusion will be resolved after discussions among top party leaders, including Rahul Gandhi.

“Our leader Rahul Gandhi is on a foreign tour. After he comes, if there are any developments in the party, the AICC President will discuss and decide. The AICC President is from Karnataka. No one knows as much about state politics as he does. The AICC President has been in politics for 50 years. He makes decisions. If there is any confusion in the party, Rahul Gandhi will take a decision after he comes,” he said.

Earlier, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar on Friday dismissed speculation about a change in the Chief Minister post, saying that leaders meeting the party high command is normal and no one can stop them from doing so.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said, “All are eligible to go and meet their leaders. You can’t stop them, you can’t tell them no, because so many are going with ministers. Some of them are going with the CM. Who will stop them? No one will stop them.”

He made the remarks amid reports that several MLAs were heading to Delhi to meet Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah earlier downplayed speculation about a leadership change in the state, terming it an “unnecessary debate” and attributing it to recent discussions about a cabinet reshuffle.

The Chief Minister further said that the senior party leadership would take the final decisions on the cabinet reshuffle, as 2 of the total 34 ministerial posts, two posts are vacant and would be filled during the reshuffle. (ANI)