I didn’t skip Cong meet deliberately, no rift with Siddaramaiah: G. Parameshwar

Tumakuru: Former Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwar, who did not attend a Congress meeting in Bengaluru and was also missing at the party's protest in Belagavi on the government's delay in coming to the rescue of flood victims in the state, claimed on Friday that he had not stayed away from both deliberately and had informed party leaders about his inability to attend the two events.

Speaking to reporters in Tumakuru, he said he was in Chikkamagaluru and could not have made it to the Congress meeting in Bengaluru on time.

“The meeting was scheduled for 11.30 am initially, but was advanced to 9.30 am because the Congress party general secretary had to leave Bengaluru on some urgent work. I informed the leaders that I could not make it to the meeting. My absence should not be misunderstood,” the former deputy chief minister said.

Dr Parameshwar also claimed he had informed party leaders that he would not be able to attend the protest in Belagavi either. Asked about the heated arguments at the meeting, Dr Parameshwar said they could have been the result of some personal differences.

“When I was KPCC president, there was never such a tense atmosphere at the meetings,” he added.

Calling the defeat of the Congress in the Lok Sabha polls a collective failure, he brushed aside reports of differences between him and former Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah.

“Mr Siddaramaiah is our leader. Although he came to the Congress from another party, he has been leader of the opposition and also Chief Minister. There is no discrimination against migrant leaders in the party. All are equal,” he contended.