Bengaluru: While the race for the post of state Congress president is hotting up with candidates and their supporters rushing to Delhi to make their case, KPCC chief, Dr G. Parameshwara too is making a last ditch effort to save his gaddi, according to sources.
Apparently encouraged by veteran leader, M. Mallikarjuna Kharge, denying reports about his possible return to state politics, he has rushed to Delhi to persuade the high command to let him remain in the post for another year, reveal sources.
They claim that Dr Parameshwara has even offered to quit as Home Minister to continue as the PCC chief. But whether he will be heard is difficult to say as Energy Minister, D K Shivakumar too is believed to be lobbying hard, claiming that he is ideal for the post owing to his “mobilisation capabilities.” Meanwhile, Ministers M B Patil and Bengaluru Development Minister, K. J. George have also flown to Delhi to persuade the high command to opt for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s candidate for the post.
While Dr Parameshwara is playing the Dalit card to continue as state Congress chief, Mr Siddarmaiah's loyalists are using the regional imbalance argument to replace him with their choice of nominee, say sources.
The Chief Minister, who spoke to the party’s national leaders from Bengaluru on the telephone on the occasion of his government completing four years in office, also tried to persuade them to select a Lingayat leader from North Karnataka for the post,they reveal.
“Although nothing has been decided yet it looks like Mr Siddaramaiah’s word will carry more weight than anyone else’s in the matter. But that does not mean Dr Parameshwara is seen as a weakling. It is just that the Congress has a long tradition of respecting the views of the incumbent Chief Minister, who is leading the party in an election,” said a senior leader.
