K'taka leadership tussle: Parameshwara confident Cong high command will resolve issue in week
Bengaluru, Nov 27 (PTI): 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.
ALSO READ: Will settle CM change issue, put end to confusion after discussing with senior leaders: Kharge
"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.
ALSO READ: 'Keeping one's word is greatest strength': DK Shivakumar's cryptic post amid Karnataka power tussle
"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.
ALSO READ: Minister Priyank says talks of Mallikarjun Kharge as Karnataka CM 'irrelevant'
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."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
LoP Ashoka targets CM govt over corruption, says being 'shameless' in public life not forgivable
Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.
He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.
"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.
Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."
"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.
Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.
"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."
Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.
"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.
Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.
"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough."
"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.
Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.
"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."
"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU
Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.
