BENGALURU: The war of words between ministers and KPCC president Dr. G. Parameshwar intensified on Saturday, a day after the state unit chief asserted that he had every right to advise them or make critical appreciation of their style of functioning.
Dr. Parameshwar upset ministers with his views on the style of function of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s ministry in an interview to a local daily recently.
But when a couple of ministers took umbrage to such statements, the KPCC chief used an event held in the party office to commemorate the death anniversary of late prime minister Indira Gandhi on Friday not only to defend his statements but also advise ministers that they should respect the post of president of KPCC.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior minister who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “Nobody in the party is worried about what Dr Parameshwar said, but why is he not practicing what he preaches? He continues to damage the image of the party and government by launching direct and indirect attacks. Is it right on his part to do so?”
Another minister said Dr Parameshwar kicked up a major controversy by stating that the state government had failed to allocate funds for Dalits soon after Mr Siddaramaiah presented the budget this year.
“When he stated this, every community leader started saying it in the open. He must answer why he did this?” he added. These ministers said Dr Parameshwar used almost half a dozen ways to express his displeasure over ministers and Chief Minister.
“If he was getting any such feedback about slackness on the part a of particular ministry or the government itself, the first thing he could have done is hold one-on-one meeting with the minister concerned or Chief Minister, share his feedback and advise them about how to rectify their mistakes. Second, he could have slammed ministers at a meeting of the Congress legislature party.
Third, he could have given his ‘advise’ during a meeting of the executive committee. Fourth, he could have raised his voice in a meeting of the co-ordination committee.
Fifth, he could have filed his ‘monthly’ report to AICC and lastly, he could have met AICC president, Sonia Gandhi, and vice president, Rahul Gandhi, and shared his views about inadequacies about the government with them.
At all these meetings, he has spoken well about the ruling party’s performance, but whenever he speaks in public he criticises us. Why?” they queried. They were worried that with the party president himself violating rules, others could follow suit soon.
