G Parameshwara hints he too is in CM race in case of leadership change in Karnataka

Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Sunday hinted that he too was in the race to become the Chief Minister, in case of leadership change in the state, and amid demands for a "Dalit CM".

However, trying to play down reports about confusion within the party on the issue of Chief Minister change, he pointed out that no one from the Congress high command has spoken on the matter so far, nor has it been discussed in the Congress Legislature Party.

The senior Congress leader further said that AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge will decide on leadership change, if there is a need, after discussing with top party leader Rahul Gandhi, who is currently abroad.

There have been speculation about chief minister change in the state, after the Congress government reaches the halfway mark of its five-year term in November, which is being referred to by some as the "November revolution", citing alleged "power-sharing" agreement involving CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar in 2023.

The government completed 2.5 years in power on November 20.

"I'm always in the race, it is not a big issue. I was the Pradesh Congress Committee President in 2013. We brought the Congress government to power (in 2013 Assembly polls). I never claimed credit for it solely. I lost in that poll. Had I won, what would have happened, I don't know," Parameshwara said in response to a question whether he was in the CM race.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, "I was in the race then, naturally, as there is a convention in the Congress party where the PCC president is often given a chance (to become CM), but it is not followed in some situations..." Asked if he will ask the high command to consider him in case there is a leadership change, Parameshwara said, "Let that situation come, such a situation has not come." On his name doing the rounds as a probable CM candidate, amid "fight" for the top post between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, he termed it as media creation.

When questioned if there was a demand for a "Dalit CM" in case of a leadership change, citing repeated meetings of ministers from SC/ST community involving him, H C Mahadevappa, Satish Jarkiholi and others, Parameshwara replied, "there is demand for a Dalit to become CM for long." "Will it happen, just because we meet," he asked.

Stating that they have met several times on issues relating to the community-- like internal reservation among SCs, he said, "should we not discuss our issues. Some of us, like minded people, meet and discuss things." Making a Dalit the CM has been a hotly debated matter within Congress, on and off for a long time now, and senior party leaders from the community like Parameshwara and Mahadevappa have spoken on the subject in the past.

To a question on confusion within the Congress party over power sharing, with CM Siddaramaiah meeting Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday, the minister merely said that the question should be asked to the party chief.

Noting that all decisions in the Congress happen involving the high command, the home minister asked if anyone from the high command had said anything about leadership change and cabinet reshuffle.

He said Siddaramaiah was chosen as the chief minister at the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting after the 2023 Assembly polls, in the presence of AICC observers, and nothing was said about a 2.5 year term for the CM then.

"Siddaramaiah was chosen as the CM then, he is there as the CM. If CM has to be changed in between, it is left to the high command. We cannot do it... if the situation comes they will do it. It was done in the past, Veerappa Moily replaced S Bangarappa as chief minister," he said, adding that, however, he doesn't feel such a situation has come.

Pointing out that Rahul Gandhi is abroad, Kharge will discuss with him and decide, if there are such developments, upon his return.

"AICC President is from Karnataka. No one probably knows the state politics better than him. He will decide, no one needs to tell him," he said.

Asked whether the Congress high command has become "incapable" in resolving the issue, Parameshwara said there was no issue at all at the first place, and they are only the creation of media.

Meanwhile, reacting to Parameshwara hinting at CM aspiration in case of leadership change, Minister Satish Jarkiholi speaking to reporters in Belagavi said, there is nothing wrong, and he had expressed his desire in the past too.

"There is nothing wrong in what he has said. Main voters for this party are SC/ST and minorities and there is a desire that they should get prominence," he said, adding that Parameshwara was KPCC chief for eight years, and had worked for the party to come to power (in 2013).

Many workers and legislators contributed to the party's success and coming to power in the state. "I don't accept claims by some people that the party came to power because of a select few," he said in an apparent reference to Shivakumar.