Bengaluru (PTI): Senior Congress leader G Parameshwara on Thursday cautioned the party's central leadership that if a Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) post is not given to a Dalit, there would be adverse reaction and it would spell trouble for the party.

The 71-year-old Parameshwara, a Dalit, was deputy chief minister during Congress-JD(S) coalition government led by H D Kumaraswamy. He was also the longest-serving Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief (eight years).

His veiled warning came hours after the Congress announced that Siddaramaiah would be chief minister and DK Shivakumar would be his only deputy.

To a question about Shivakumar having allegedly put a condition to the leadership that he should be the only DCM, Parameshwara said, "What he has said might be right in Shivakumar's point of view, but high command's viewpoint should be different. High Command has to decide, we expect them (high command) to..."

On whether injustice has been done to Dalits by not giving a DCM post to the community, he said the people, especially the Dalit community, have huge expectations.

"Understanding these expectations, our leadership will have to make a decision. If it doesn't happen, naturally there will be reactions for it. There is no need for me to say it. Instead of realising it later, if they rectify it now it will be better. Or else it may cause trouble for the party. I would like to tell them to understand it," Parameshwara said.

He said he was an aspirant for both the posts of CM and DCM.

"I was both chief minister and deputy chief minister aspirant but now we have to abide by the decision of the high command, so let's see what they will do in the days to come. For now they have made announcements about the two, we will have to wait and see how they will do justice during the cabinet expansion," he said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, "The high command has announced CM and DCM. Siddaramaiah is becoming CM for the second time from our party, we expect him to provide good administration. Expectations of people are huge on us because of the promise of good administration in our manifesto. I welcome the decision and expect them to take all of us into confidence in giving good administration."

Parameshwara, who represents Koratagere in Tumakuru district, had lost the 2013 assembly polls, when he was KPCC president. He was a contender for the chief minister's post then, but as he was defeated, he was made an MLC and a minister in the Siddaramaiah government (2013-2018).

Responding to a question about "none of them" (Dalits) having asked for the DCM post with a strong voice, Parameshwara said a strong voice doesn't mean shouting with a demand.

"We have asked (for posts)...I hope the high command will pay attention to it, as people have voted for us and have contributed to Congress coming to power. We have to keep this in mind and move ahead," he said.

Earlier in the day, before Congress's official announcement naming Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar as CM and DCM, respectively, Parameshwara in response to a question on whether he would ask for a DCM post, said, "What is there to ask? They should give. As I was DCM earlier, I expect them to give. Let's see..."

Objecting to Shivakumar's alleged demand that he alone should be DCM, he said, "One person alone should be in power (and) others should not be is not a right stand. Everyone has contributed towards the party coming to power. All communities have contributed, and naturally, justice should be done to them."

Pointing out that Dalits, Lingayats, and minorities have strongly stood by the Congress party in the polls, he said the Congress has won in 35 out of 51 Dalit seats.

"Along with that, in two general seats the community candidates have won, so it is totally 37. The Dalit votes have made an impact in several other segments," he said.

In the May 10 elections to the 224-member Assembly, the Congress scored an emphatic victory by bagging 135 seats, while the ruling BJP and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular) secured 66 and 19 seats respectively.

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Hyderabad, May 5 (PTI): Sunrisers Hyderabad were eliminated from the play-offs race after their Indian Premier League fixture against Delhi Capitals was called off due to heavy rain following the first innings here on Monday.

Pat Cummins-led SRH pace attack ran through the DC batting line-up to limit the visitors to 133/7 before rain dashed the slim hopes of the home team. Both teams shared a point each for the abandoned game.

With 13 points from 11 games, DC remain in contention for a top-four spot.

After reaching the final last year, it was a season to forget for SRH who could not replicate their ballistic run of 2024 with the bat. Having collected only seven points from 11 matches, SRH will now be playing for pride.

Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were already eliminated from the competition.

Before rain lashed the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, the hosts put up a clinical effort with the ball and were on course for only their fourth win of the season until rain arrived, creating large puddles of water on the outfield. The match officials decided to call off the game at 11.10 pm local time.

The shot selection of Delhi Capitals' batters contributed to their downfall after being put in to bat.

They were left reeling at 29 for five in 7.1 overs with captain Cummins causing the maximum damage.

Cummins had Karun Nair caught behind on the very first ball of the match with a good length ball around the off-stump. It was a rather loose shot from the DC batter first up.

Faf du Plessis departed in Cummins' following over, a failed attempt to put the relentless Australian away for a boundary. Not getting any loose ball from Cummins, the South Africa went for a pull on the charge only to be caught by the wicket-keeper.

Cummins' third victim was Abhishek Porel who was caught after mistiming a flick.

Harshal Patel and Jaydev Unadkat then got into the act by dismissing Axar Patel and K L Rahul respectively. The in-form Rahul went for a drive on the up but ended up edging it to Ishan Kishan behind the stumps.

It was one way traffic until Tristian Stubbs (41 not out off 36) and impact player Ashutosh Sharma (41 off 26) combined to take DC to a respectable total. They shared a 66-run stand off 45 balls.

Sharma was able to break the shackles by depositing leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari for a couple of sixes over long-on in the 15th over.

Stubbs did not look as comfortable as Sharma in the middle but managed to provide much needed support to the latter. The South African could find only four boundaries with the last one coming off the final ball of the innings.