BENGALURU: A day after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he was a Dalit, too, KPCC president Dr G. Parameshwar on Saturday backed organisations which have been campaigning for the elevation of a Dalit leader as Chief Minister.
Speaking to the media, he asked: “What is wrong if a few Dalit leaders ask for the CM’s post for their community leader?” adding that members of the community perhaps felt that they were let down by the party.
“As a consequence of this, they may have formed a forum to fight for their cause. On that day, this forum could have thought that in a true sense I am a capable of becoming the Chief Minister,” he added.
The KPCC president declared that he was an aspirant for the Chief Minister’s post, and so had no qualms about speaking in public about his ambition. “The question of whether a Dalit should become the Chief Minister of this state or not is left to the party high command. I will abide by the decision of the high command of this issue.
“But, it is certainly not in good taste to comment that community leaders have no right to make such a demand,” he added. Reacting sharply to reported moves by the Chief Minister’s camp to lodge a complaint against him with central leaders of the party, Dr Parameshwar maintained that he would not take it lightly.
“If anyone is trying to lodge a complaint against me with the party high command, I will welcome it. “Let them do it. I know my responsibilities as KPCC president. I have already travelled in ten districts, where I have been working to increase the party’s membership. “Therefore, they (complainants) need not teach me about my responsibilities,” he added.
Not a right time to speak: Digvijay Singh
Refusing to comment on the demand of some Dalit organisations on the need for elevation of a Dalit as Chief Minister, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh on Saturday declared that he would speak on this issue at an appropriate forum and an appropriate time. “It is not the right time to speak about this issue,” he added.
