Bengaluru: Karnataka Home minister G Parameshwara on Sunday hinted that he too was in the race to become the Chief Minister, in case of leadership change in the state, and amid demands for a “Dalit CM”.
However, trying to play down reports about confusion within the party on the issue of Chief Minister change, he pointed out that no one from the Congress high command has spoken on the matter so far, nor has it been discussed in the Congress Legislature Party.
The senior Congress leader further said that AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge will decide on leadership change, if there is a need, after discussing with top party leader Rahul Gandhi, who is currently abroad.
There have been speculation about chief minister change in the state, after the Congress government reaches the halfway mark of its five-year term in November, which is being referred to by some as the “November revolution”, citing alleged “power-sharing” agreement involving CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar in 2023.
The govt completed 2.5 years in power on November 20.
“I’m always in the race, it is not a big issue. I was the Pradesh Congress Committee President in 2013. We brought the Congress government to power (in 2013 Assembly polls). I never claimed credit for it solely. I lost in that poll. Had I won, what would have happened, I don’t know,” Parameshwara said in response to a question whether he was in the CM race.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, “I was in the race then, naturally, as there is a convention in the Congress party where the PCC president is often given a chance (to become CM), but it is not followed in some situations...”
Asked if he will ask the high command to consider him in case there is a leadership change, Parameshwara said, “Let that situation come, such a situation has not come.”
On his name doing the rounds as a probable CM candidate, amid “fight” for the top post between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, he termed it as media creation.
When questioned if there was a demand for a “Dalit CM” in case of a leadership change, citing repeated meetings of ministers from SC/ST community involving him, H C Mahadevappa, Satish Jarkiholi and others, Parameshwara replied, “there is demand for a Dalit to become CM for long.” “Will it happen, just because we met,” he asked.