CM, I will be responsible for outcome of Lok Sabha election: Parameshwara

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief G Parameshwara on Sunday said both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and he will be responsible for the outcome of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and the results will mirror the opinion of the people on the government’s approach to development in the State.

In an interaction with this paper, he, however, quickly added that the polls will not be a referendum on the State government. “Welfare schemes will certainly be useful to the party in the polls. The results will indicate whether our approach of development is right or needs any correction. If necessary, we are open to making correction after the polls,” he stated.

The State Congress chief rubbished the view that the party has failed to get strong candidates in many constituencies, saying that only election results will reveal whether the candidates were strong or weak. “Today’s weak candidate can be tomorrow’s strong leader. Once a candidate wins the election, she/he is called a leader,” he argued.

The party tried to convince some of the ministers like H Anjaneya (for Chitradurga) and Krishna Byre Gowda (Bangalore North). But they all refused. They want to remain in State politics. The party did not insist that they contest as it has to take care of the interest of the government in the State, he said. The party has not treated senior leader C K Jaffer Sharief badly. The State unit of the party had recommended Sharief’s name for Bangalore Central, but the high command chose young leader Rizwan Arshad as there is a need for change. “I have spoken to Sharief and told him that there are other opportunities. I hope he will abide by the decision of the party in picking Rizwan,” he stated.

He said rebellion staged by Sharief and dissatisfaction among the leaders on the selection of some candidates will not have any bearing on the party’s poll prospects and described them as local and individual problems. He, however, declined to predict as to how many seats the party would win of the total 28 in the State.

Parameshwara admitted that opposition BJP has taken up an aggressive campaign in the State.

As the Congress has been in power for 10 years at the Centre, the party has been facing a lot of allegations and it has the responsibility to explain them all to the people.