Congress to fight 2023 K'taka polls under collective leadership, says ex-deputy CM G Parameshwara
Bengaluru, Jun 25: Senior Karnataka Congress leader G Parameshwara on Saturday said the party will face the state assembly polls scheduled for next year under a collective leadership.
Ruling out speculation that he was sulking over being sidelined in the party and planning to join the BJP, the former deputy chief minister in reply to a question on his chief ministerial aspirations, maintained that the party high command will decide in this regard, when Congress comes to power in the state.
"Our (state) president D K Shivakumar has said it will be collective leadership...we will go (for polls) under collective leadership," Parameshwara told reporters in response to a question whether Congress will face the 2023 assembly polls under Siddaramaiah (Congress Legislature Party leader) or Shivakumar's leadership.
To a question whether he was upset over not being given an appropriate position in the party, Parameshwara said, "No, I'm not upset. I have worked as the party president successively for eight years and also as Deputy Chief Minister in the (coalition) government, I'm not unhappy or upset."
Asked about talks in the political circles that he may join the BJP, the former KPCC chief merely said, "I don't know about it."
The message of collective leadership from a senior party leader comes amidst ongoing political one-upmanship between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, both nursing Chief Ministerial ambitions on Congress coming to power.
Asked about him raising in the past the issue of Karnataka not having a Dalit CM, Parameshwara, who hails from the community, said, according to the situation several people express their opinion, and as of now the only intention is to bring the party to power.
"The party has to come to power first, right? We are making efforts for it," he added.
Stating that there is nothing to be surprised about several leaders in the Congress being in the race for the Chief Minister's post, Parameshwara said there are several senior leaders who have served the party for decades and it is natural for them to have a desire.
When questioned whether he too has such a desire, the Congress leader said the party high command will ultimately decide on it (CM) and added "let's bring the party to power first."
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Delhi Polls: BJP faces protest, placates MLA amid resentment over ticket distribution
New Delhi, Jan 12: Resentment surfaced in the BJP on Sunday over ticket distribution for Delhi Assembly polls, with a protest held outside its Delhi unit office and an angry outburst by the outgoing MLA from Karawal Nagar who was not included in the candidate list released a day earlier.
As MLA Mohan Singh Bisht threatened to revolt after being denied a ticket from Karawal Nagar, the party rushed to control the damage and announced his candidature from the Mustafabad seat this evening.
A group of protesters from Tughlakabad in South Delhi held a dharna at the gate of the Delhi BJP office, demanding a change in the candidate from the constituency.
"Vikram Bidhuri Tum Sangharsh Karo; Modi Se Bair Nahi, Rohtas Teri Khair Nahi," the protesters, including mostly youngsters, chanted as the party leaders tried to pacify them.
In the second list of BJP candidates for the polls declared on Saturday, Rohtas Bidhuri was fielded from the Tughlakabad seat. In 2020 Assembly polls, Vikram Bidhuri who is a relative of senior party leader Ramesh Bidhuri, lost to AAP's Sahiram by over 13,000 votes.
A similar protest was also held by some party workers outside the Delhi BJP office against Mehrauli candidate Gajainder Yadav after the announcement of the first list of candidates earlier this month.
Bisht, the senior-most BJP MLA in the outgoing Assembly elected five times from Karawal Nagar, openly expressed unhappiness over being denied the ticket to contest from his stronghold.
A senior party leader said he was pacified after a meeting with BJP chief JP Nadda.
Bisht, after getting the ticket from Mustafabad, expressed confidence that he would win the seat for the BJP.
"I met the national president and things were ironed out. I have assured that I will contest from Mustafabad and win the seat for the party," Bisht told PTI.
The MLA said he and the BJP had considerable support in Mustafabad and he has already attended two public meetings there.
The BJP won the Mustafabad seat, having a significant minority community presence, in the 2015 Assembly polls but lost it to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2020.
Earlier in the day, Bisht told PTI that the party's decision to replace him with Kapil Mishra was "wrong" and its consequences will be visible after voting on February 5.
"You have challenged the 'samaj' (his Uttarakhandi community), not Mohan Singh Bisht. The BJP will lose at least 8-10 seats because of this decision, including Karawal Nagar, Burari, Mustafabad and Gokalpuri," Bisht warned.
The BJP fielded Kapil Mishra, a Hindutva hardliner, from Karwal Nagar in North East Delhi, which was rocked by massive communal violence just after the 2020 Assembly polls.
Sources in the party claimed that there was also "deep resentment" among the Delhi BJP's Scheduled Castes Morcha leaders over being denied tickets from different constituencies including Madipur and Kondli.
A top Delhi BJP functionary stressed that there are many ticket aspirants, so it is natural for those who did not get selected to feel disappointed.
"The BJP is a disciplined party and its leaders understand this. Sooner or later, everyone will realise this and work for the victory of the party giving up their resentment," he said.
The elections to 70 Assembly seats in Delhi are scheduled on February 5. Results will be out after the counting of votes on February 8.
The BJP, out of power in Delhi since 1998, is making all-out efforts to return to power. In the 2015 and 2020 Assembly polls, the party was completely routed by the AAP, scraping through with just three and eight seats, respectively.
