Parameshwara plays down meeting of senior ministers amid CM change, cabinet rejig buzz
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Friday played down the closed-door meeting of senior ministers including him, amid speculations about cabinet reshuffle and chief minister change, stating that it was a "casual and a non-political" meeting.
He also termed the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's banquet for his Cabinet colleagues scheduled for October 13, as a "casual" meeting over meals, and downplayed speculations of CM change.
A closed-door meeting between Home Minister G Parameshwara, Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa, and Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi had created a buzz on Thursday.
"There is nothing. I don't know how you see it. We have met normally, this was not the first time. Several times we friends -- Jarkiholi (Satish Jarkiholi), Mahadevappa and I -- meet to discuss several issues. They are not political meetings," Parameshwara said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, there was a cabinet meeting yesterday and some subjects were sensitive, so we discussed over breakfast.
"It was a casual meeting. There is nothing in it...We have held several such meetings. This is not the first time. Earlier we have had meetings at Satish Jarkiholi's house, Mahadevappa's house. This is not new," he added.
There are also reports that CM Siddaramaiah held a meeting with these senior ministers on Thursday night.
Speculations are rife about the change of guard and cabinet reshuffle in the state when the Congress government reaches the halfway mark of its five-year term in November, which is being referred to by some as "November revolution".
Responding to a question on this, Parameshwara said, "who said there will be a November revolution? I don't know..."
To a question on the chief minister's banquet, he asked, whether the CM had never called a dinner meeting? "Similarly he has called. There is no agenda other than food.... It is a casual meeting over meals."
Asked about cabinet reshuffle, the minister said, those things should be asked to the chief minister.
To a question whether the Congress high command has evaluated the performance of ministers, he said, he is not aware of any such things.
When pointed out that the high command had taken a report on ministers earlier, he said, "such things keep happening constantly, things need not be attached to it."
According to sources, any move by the chief minister to effect cabinet reshuffle, as the government is about to complete two and-a-half years in office, will be seen as a message that he is at the helm and will continue to do so.
Amid talks about CM change, Siddaramaiah has constantly reiterated that he will complete full five years term.
There has been speculation within state's political circles, especially within the ruling Congress, for some time now about the chief minister change later this year, citing power-sharing agreement involving incumbent Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar.
There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May 2023, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy CM.
There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational chief minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two and-a-half years, but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.
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Rahul Gandhi joins Haryana Congress leader's 'Sadbhav Yatra' in Gurugram
Gurugram (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday joined the 'Sadbhav Yatra' of Haryana Congress leader Brijendra Singh here.
Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, reached Gurugram in the evening and joined the yatra. He also walked some distance with Brijendra, state Congress chief Rao Narender Singh and other leaders.
Huge crowds had turned up for the occasion.
Later, Gandhi proceeded to the venue where he addressed a public gathering.
Leader of Opposition in Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda and other Congress leaders, including Randeep Singh Surjewala, B K Hariprasad, state Congress chief Rao Narender Singh, were also present.
Brijendra Singh had on Thursday said it is a matter of joy for them that Gandhi was joining the 'Sadbhav Yatra' in Gurugram-Badshahpur, "thereby strengthening the Indian National Congress' campaign for brotherhood and harmony".
The 'Sadbhav Yatra' began from Danoda village at Narwana in Jind on October 5, 2025, and has covered 85 of the 90 assembly segments in the state.
The foot march was started by Brijendra Singh, son of Congress veteran Birender Singh, to highlight several national and regional issues.
State Congress chief Rao Narender Singh had asked all party leaders to take part in Friday's event.
Days before his yatra began in October, Brijendra Singh, who narrowly lost the 2024 assembly polls from Jind's Uchana Kalan, accused the ruling BJP of playing "divisive politics" and said that "sadbhav" (harmony) has come under stress in the last decade.
Brijendra Singh was a sitting MP from Hisar for the BJP when he resigned ahead of the 2024 general election and switched over to the Congress. He also alleged that the saffron party creates a wedge in society to achieve its political purpose.
The 'padyatra' has so far covered 85 assembly constituencies in Haryana, traversing more than 2,700 kilometres.
Addressing the public gathering, Brijendra Singh said the yatra is inspired by Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, where he took the party's vision and values directly to the people of the country.
Singh said the yatra has highlighted issues like "Vote Chori" (vote theft), unemployment, poor law and order situation, agrarian distress, and issues related to government employees, labourers and traders.
"Sadbhav (harmony) and bhaichara (brotherhood), which the BJP is attempting to weaken, are the messages of this yatra," he said, adding that its slogan is "Congress ka haath bhaichara ka saath".
"This yatra is a natural extension of the Bharat Jodo Yatra," Brijendra Singh said.
