JOIN USDo not forget the party, KPCC chief tells ministers
State Congress president G Parameshwara on Saturday took exception to the ministers not showing interest in the party activities and advised them to take a leaf out of Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s book in this regard.
Speaking at the KPCC State executive committee meeting held at a star hotel, he said some ministers do not have time to attend the executive committee meeting of the party. “They forget the party the moment they become ministers. They must understand that they are in the government because of the party. Hence, the party is important. People, irrespective of their high positions, should learn to give importance to the party,” he was quoted as stated in the meeting.
Hailing Chandy for according top priority to the party, Parameshwara said the Chandy government does not take any policy decision without consulting the State party executive committee. But the ministers in Karnataka have no time to attend the party meetings, he added.
Though Parameshwara avoided mentioning Chief Minister Siddaamaiah in his speech, his remarks appeared to include him also. Siddaramaiah had left the meeting midway citing his official engagements at Vidhana Soudha. R V Deshpande, V Srinivas Prasad, H Anjaneya and U T Khader are among the ministers who did not attend the meeting.
Relationship between Parameshwara and Siddaramaiah has strained in the wake of latter’s stiff opposition for the creation of post of deputy chief minister. The party high command has reportedly supported the chief minister’s stand.
Parameshwara, who has been sulking of late, had been making use of all opportunities to embarrass the Siddaramaiah government. Later, the executive committee passed a resolution stating that the ministers should work more aggressively and should be pro-active in serving people. Senior party leader M V Rajashekaran is learnt to have warned the government against sending out a wrong message to two major communities of Lingayat and Vokkaligas in the State. People belonging to these communities are of late increasingly feeling that the government was not representing them.
Special attention
Backward classes, STs and STs need special attention. Efforts should be made to uplift the socially and economically oppressed people. There cannot be two opinion in this regard. But a government has to represent all sections and communities. It is not proper to neglect any one of them, he added.
Later briefing the media, Parameshwara said the executive committee decided that appointments of heads and chairmen to various boards and corporations will be done either by this month end or in the first week of October.
Besides, district in charge ministers have been asked to complete appointments to various district and taluk-level statutory committees. The appointments have been delayed due to Lok Sabha elections and subsequent bypolls to the State Assembly, he added.