Braving money power of BJP was most herculean task: Deshpande

"It was a mixed bag of luck for me in the last 25 months as KPCC chief as Congress tasted a string of electoral defeats in the assembly by-polls along with some success", he told reporters here, a day after the party high command appointed senior leader Dr G Parameshwara to succeed him.

"It was difficult to face the money power of BJP, the government of which also topped the list in corruption. With the cooperation of all leaders and the party high command, I have done my best in these two years", Deshpande said.

He welcomed the appointment of former CWC member Parameshwara who, he said, has vast administrative experience and hoped the party's fortunes would revive and it would return to power under his stewardship.

Assembly elections are due in 2013 in Karnataka, which has been haunted by political instability in the wake of repeated internal fissures faced by ruling BJP.Defending the choice of Parameshwara, a Dalit to lead the party, Deshpande said appointments in Congress are not made on the basis of caste.

Deshpande was a key part of the recent 320-km "Bellary Chalo Padayatra" organised by the Congress to highlight illegal mining in the State.