Largely perceived to enjoy the image of a gentleman-politician, the Congress high command put Parameshwara in the saddle, replacing R V Deshpande who headed the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) for two years. Parameshwara’s date of assuming office is yet to be announced.

 Fifty-nine-year-old Parameshwara represents Koratagere, a constituency reserved for Scheduled Castes, in the Legislative Assembly.

Elected MLA from Madhugiri three times, Parameshwara was sericulture minister in the M Veerappa Moily Cabinet and was the Higher Education Minister when S M Krishna was chief minister. Though a contender for the KPPC chief’s post, Parameshwara, believed to be close to Sonia, stayed away from camping in Delhi when decisions were being taken by the high command to appoint 18 state party presidents.