KPCC chief's remarks upset Congressmen

State Congress chief G Parameshwara’s critical comments against his party government’s performance has not gone down well with senior leader and minister H K Patil. However, the JD(S) has found a reason to smile.

Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Minister Patil on Monday dubbed Parameshwara’s statement as unhealthy development. At the same time, he also strongly defended Chief Minister Siddaramaiah when it comes to the charges of illegal denotification at Arkavathy Layout.

Parameshwara, on completing four years in office, on Sunday had interacted with a section of the media wherein he had stated that people have become suspicious of the government on the corruption issue in the wake of reports of illegal denotification of land at Arkavathy layout.

He had also criticised the government for implementing Anna Bhagya scheme without proper preparations. However, he did not find fault with the scheme as such. His observations have come as an embarrassment to the ruling Congress.

Interestingly, Parameshwara had recently issued gag orders to his party colleagues. He had said that none should go to the media criticising the government or leaders.

When asked by the media to react to Parameshwara’s observations, Patil said, “Allegations made by him cannot be accepted. I do not know why the President (KPCC president) has made such a statement. It has created unnecessary confusion. He should not have spoken lightly of the government. If he really wanted to say something serious, he could have done it in the party executive committee meeting.”

Patil defended the chief minister saying that a judicial probe has been ordered and even opposition parties are satisfied with it. “In democracy ordering a judicial probe is the right way to bring out truth. The chief minister has done exactly that. Still he (Parameshwara) has made the statement.

He has done it may be because he was ill-informed,” he stated.
Earlier, Patil held a closed-door meeting with Siddaramaiah at Vidhana Soudha. The two leaders are learnt to have discussed about the statement made by Parameshwara. 

JD(S) leader and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy said his stand that the ruling Congress government was “corrupt” had been vindicated with Parameshwara endorsing the same view.

Speaking to reporters in Bangalore, Kumaraswamy pointed out that Parameshwara in his interviews to the media had stated that people had become suspicious about the State government following reports of illegal denotification of Arkavathy Layout.

“He (Parameshwara) is a senior leader. He would not have made the statement had there not been any documentary evidence,” Kumaraswamy said. The JD(S) leader added that the government was not only corrupt but also inefficient. Siddaramaiah had failed in discharging his duties, he alleged. The government had totally failed in tackling government doctors’ strike, he said.