K'taka leadership tussle: Parameshwara confident Cong high command will resolve issue in week

Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday expressed confidence that the Congress high command should be able to resolve the ongoing power tussle in the state for the Chief Minister's post in a week's time. A contender himself for the CM's post, in the event of a change of guard, he spoke highly of both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar, and said the high command's word is final on such matters.

Shivakumar certainly has a claim for the CM post and there is nothing wrong with it, he said. In the event of a power transition, it should be smooth and the incumbent Siddaramaiah has to be taken into confidence, he told PTI Videos.. With himself in the race, the senior Congress leader said that if given an opportunity, with his experience and administrative skills, he will definitely do well and serve the people of Karnataka, and keep up the ideologies of the Congress party.

"The high command is aware of everything happening in Bengaluru. Kharge ji (AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge) knows everything. Maybe in a week's time they should be able to resolve this. It is not impossible. If not a big exercise at least some exercise will happen. It will be resolved," Parameshwara added.

Reiterating that he is not aware of any "power sharing" arrangement, he said, "honestly when the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) assembled (after the 2023 assembly polls) there was no mention of power sharing....we elected Siddaramaiah as CM, there was no mention of a time frame. We thought it would go for five years."

"But, of late, claims about power sharing between Siddaramaiah and Shivkumar have come out . If that is true, and if there is an agreement made at the high command level, definitely everybody will agree. But that has to be decided by the high command. We have no role. We may make a statement but that is not relevant, it is only the high command that will make the decision, based on the situation," he said. Any change of guard has to be smooth if at all it happens.

"I'm sure the high command will ensure it. They've seen many such incidents in Delhi. Siddaramaiah's contribution is very important, not just as a backward class leader, but as a leader in the state, he has a lot of following. He has a commitment. The high command will notice it. He is a tall leader and he has to be taken into confidence." Everybody will accept if the decision and transition is smooth, he further said,.

"In Congress somebody may make a statement outside, but when a decision is taken by high command, everybody will accept it. Many times, we expect something, something else will happen. There will be murmurs for a few days, but that will ultimately die down." Regarding his recent statement hinting that he too was in the race to the top post, the Home Minister said, when the media asked him, he casually said that he is always in the contention.

"But whatever the High command decides is final. I will not lobby, I'm not that kind. I also believe and keep the faith in high command.... If they take a decision that Parameshwara should be given an opportunity it's for them. If they decide someone else or Shivkumar should be made, it is up up to them. I cannot say give it to me," he said.

Amid reports that he will be propped up as CM candidate by a section of the party, in case of change of guard, he said nothing has been spoken on this. Parameshwara, replying to a question, said that given an opportunity, Shivakumar has a claim for the CM post and there is nothing wrong in it.

"Shivkumar is close to me, we are good friends. I have seen him since 1989. He has good qualities. As PCC president he expected to become CM (after 2023 polls) as it is the convention. Naturally, now also given the opportunity, he would definitely want to become CM. Given an opportunity, he has a claim. He has every right to claim," he said.

Noting that Siddaramaiah as a person hasn't changed, Parameshwara replying to a question said, with the passage of time, age might have mellowed him down, but his ideological commitment has not changed. "He is always for the poorer sections, AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes, and Dalits)....that ideological commitment has not changed. He has not compromised. Between Siddaramaiah of 2013 to 2018 and Siddaramaih now, you may see the changes in body language, but his ideological commitment is intact. I don't think he has compromised anything with that," he said.

Siddaramaiah has always listened to high command. "He has never been rebellious to high command. Even now he has said whatever the high command decides he will abide by that. Something as a leader of his stature saying this is good." (PTI)