Eyeing CM post, Dr G Parameshwar to join cabinet?

BENGALURU: A reshuffle of the cabinet, likely before Diwali, could turn out to be the first step towards implementation of a well-crafted strategy to unseat Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with KPCC president Dr G. Parameshwar joining the new team as a minister at the behest of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

On Saturday, Dr Parameshwar met party veteran and former chief minister S.M. Krishna at the latter’s residence and was closeted with him for over an hour.

Emerging from the meeting, Dr Parameshwar told the media that he would leave for New Delhi to discuss party affairs with general secretary in charge of Karnataka, Digvijay Singh.

Replying to a question on the reshuffle, Dr Parameshwar said, “It is left to the Chief Minister to decide on it. If he decides, I will join him to discuss the matter with central leaders.” The buzz in Congress circle is about a reshuffle of the cabinet including induction of Dr Parameshwar and vesting him the portfolio of home. Three others are also likely to join the cabinet.

The obvious question: Why is Dr Parameshwar set to climb down from his earlier demand for the deputy chief minister’s post? Is it tactical or has he lost the battle with Mr Siddaramaiah?

Sources in the party observed that it would be a tactical one if he got into cabinet now, and clarified that he would prefer to prove his loyalty to the high command first.

“If he agrees for a cabinet berth, then the high command may reward him with the Chief Minister’s post if the party agrees to replace Mr Siddaramaiah after taluk and zilla panchayat polls.”

Dr Parameshwar seems to have changed his strategy on two counts: One, by getting into the cabinet, he seems eager to check-mate veteran Mallikarjun Kharge’s return to state politics.

The other reason being an attempt by Dr Parameshwar to prevent general secretary B.K. Hariprasad from taking over as Chief Minister.

Mr Hariprasad, an OBC leader, reportedly prepared grounds to come back and replace an OBC Chief Minister so that the vote bank remains intact.

However, it was not clear as to how Mr Siddaramaiah and his supporters would stop the entry of Dr Parameshwar into the cabinet.