Bengaluru: KPCC president Dr G. Parameshwar came out in the open on Sunday to assert that he had no differences with CM Siddaramaiah and had skipped the swearing-in ceremony of three ministers on Friday due to fever.
After Dr Parameshwar kept away from the function, party sources had said he was upset with the candidates selected by the CM for the MLC seat (which went to CM Ibrahim) and three cabinet berths. The speculative reports continued on Saturday with the chief minister’s camp disclosing details of how Dr Parameshwar got upset when AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi rejected his list and backed the one given by Mr Siddaramaiah.
“I suspect the hands of opposition parties in spreading rumours. They want to gain politically, so they are indulging in all kinds of dirty tricks,” Dr Parameshwar said. He contended that he had no differences with the chief minister.
“During the selection process, I may suggest one name, Mr Siddaramaiah may suggest another. This is quite common in a democracy. But once the AICC president or vice president takes a decision, we abide by it. So, where is the question of differences with Mr Siddaramaiah,” Dr Parameshwar asked.
He asserted that during the discussion before the cabinet rejig, there was no argument over original Congressmen versus outsiders or the left bloc in the SC community versus the right. “When the party high command has asked me to continue to work as PCC president in spite of me holding this post for a very long time, it would wrong to assume that I would resign,” he said.
High command forced Parameshwar to clarify?
Did Congress high command force KPCC president Dr G Parameshwar to clarify that there was no difference of opinion with CM Siddaramaiah?
Yes, assert party sources. Till Saturday, Dr Parameshwar remained incognito after not attending the swearing-in ceremony of three ministers on Friday. He was reportedly upset with the CM for not considering his candidates, Tiptur MLA Shadakshari and MLC Motamma instead of R.B. Thimmapur and first-time MLA Gita Mahadevprasad. Besides, Dr Parameshwar had favoured Mr G.C. Chandrashekar for nomination to the Council instead of C.M. Ibrahim. After the media broke the news of reported differences between CM and Dr Parameshwar, the high command took note of it and reportedly asked the latter to hold a news conference to clarify on the issue. AICC General Secretary and in-charge of state K.C. Venugopal too spoke to the PCC President and asked him to patch up with the CM and work for party’s victory in 2018. Sources said Dr Parameshwar was at the KPCC office on the day of swearing-in ceremony but deliberately stayed away to show his anger. This came to the notice of the party high command which asked him to bury the hatchet till elections are over.
