BENGALURU: Clarifying that he had neither submitted a report on the ruling party’s dismal performance in zilla and taluk panchayat polls nor on the row over Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s Hublot wrist watch, KPCC president Dr G Parameshwar said on Thursday his meeting with party president Sonia Gandhi was about registration of properties housing party offices in the name of AICC and some internal affairs of the party.
“I was surprised to see reports in the media on my visit to New Delhi. At the meeting, only Congress president Sonia Gandhi and myself were present, and none else. I do not know who gave information that I submitted a negative report about the Chief Minister. Whatever appeared in a section of the media is not true,” he told the media on his return from Delhi, adding that though the party’s performance in local body elections figured during the conversation, Mrs Gandhi was informed that the party won adequate number of seats to garner power on its own in ten zilla panchayats, and also emerged as the single largest party in another 15 zilla panchayats. Instructions were passed on to district level units to forge an alliance with Janata Dal (S) as leaders of that party too were thinking on the same lines.
Dr Parameshwar said he told Mrs Gandhi that Karnataka was ready to host the plenary session of AICC in Bengaluru, just as it did when a government headed by Mr S M Krishna was in office. If the high command decides, the session is likely to be held in June or before the onset of the monsoon. He also said the issue of Cabinet reshuffle did not come up in the meeting. The high command will definitely consults him before taking up that exercise. The appointments to various boards and corporations may happen only after the Budget session.
Clarifying that Mr Siddaramaiah’s luxe wrist watch issue did not figure during his meeting with Mrs Gandhi, Dr Parameshwar said the controversy over the wrist watch was a closed chapter as Mr Siddaramaiah had made a detailed statement in the Legislative Assembly and later declared it a 'state asset' to be displayed in the cabinet hall in Vidhana Soudha. “Last time, I could not inform the Chief Minister before leaving for Delhi but briefed him after my return. This time, I informed Mr Siddaramaiah before going to Delhi,” he added.
He said the issue of a reshuffle of the ministry did not figure in the meeting. The high command would certainly consult him before taking up the exercise. And appointment of chairpersons to various boards and corporations could happen only after the budget session of legislature.
On leader of Opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar's allegation that the ruling party was wooing newly-elected ZP members, the KPCC chief said Mr Shettar knew very well that such members would face disqualification on joining other parties.
