Karnataka: Congress High Command puts a stop to Parameshwara's dinner plans with SC/ST leaders

The development came right on the heels of Deputy CM D K Shivakumar meeting AICC general secretary KC Venugopal on Monday night with a complaint about last week’s dinner Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had with SC/ST ministers.

Bengaluru/New Delhi: Hours after he announced hosting dinner for SC/ST leaders, Home Minister G Parameshwara, a chief ministerial aspirant, cancelled the plan Tuesday evening upon instructions from the Congress high command, which was worried about the optics of such a meeting.

The development came right on the heels of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar meeting AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal in New Delhi late on Monday night with a complaint about last week’s dinner Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had with SC/ST ministers, including Parameshwara.

Earlier on Tuesday, Parameshwara told reporters that he would host SC/ST ministers, lawmakers and leaders over dinner on Wednesday evening to plan for a massive convention under the Congress’ banner. The convention was apparently aimed at consolidating Dalits.

“It is a preparatory meeting to discuss when and where we should hold the convention. Under my leadership, the Congress had organised an SC/ST convention in Chitradurga where resolutions were passed. We couldn’t thank the SC/ST community for their support (during the 2023 Assembly polls). So, we want to hold a convention,” Parameshwara, a Dalit had said.

Later in the evening, Parameshwara issued a statement that he had postponed Wednesday’s dinner meet-up 'as directed by' AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, who oversees the party's affairs in Karnataka.

It was widely speculated that Parameshwara’s dinner meeting and the proposed SC/ST convention could revive the demand for a Dalit to become the next chief minister, scuttling the prospects of Shivakumar, who is a Vokkaliga.

Shivakumar, who huddled with Venugopal on Monday night for more than 45 minutes, told the latter that unless such meetings are stopped immediately, they would give scope for political rumours, Congress sources told DH.

Apparently, Shivakumar was surprised to learn that Siddaramaiah had dinner with SC/ST ministers Parameshwara, Satish Jarkiholi, HC Mahadevappa and KN Rajanna on January 2 while he was on family vacation in Turkey.

Sources said Shivakumar believes that such meetings and frequent statements on the appointment of a new Karnataka Congress president -- a post he currently holds -- and additional deputy CMs were aimed at weakening him and his claim on the CM’s post.