Opposition raking up Dalit Chief Minister issue to divert attention: Minister Parameshwara

'Party high command will decide when a Dalit Chief Minister will be appointed'

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara has accused the Opposition in the State of "unnecessarily" raising the issue of Dalit Chief Minister to cover up their own shortcomings and also to deflect attention from governance.

He asserted that only the Congress has the commitment to elevate a Dalit leader to the top post, and added that the party high command would decide when a Dalit Chief Minister would be appointed.

Parameshwara said the ongoing discussion on a Dalit Chief Minister was being amplified by opposition parties. "This is the work of the Opposition. To hide their own failures, they are raising the issue of the Chief Minister. Isn't the administration running smoothly? Isn't the Chief Minister governing?" he asked, according to PTI.

The Minister noted that for the past 10–12 days, detailed budget discussions had been held across departments and governance was progressing normally.

Parameshwara, who is a Dalit, said the Congress alone had the history and political will to make a Dalit Chief Minister.

"Yes, it must be the Congress party. Who else will do it?" he said, while clarifying that the timing of any such decision would be determined by the party high command.

On Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's media statement targeting the JD(S) and invoking social justice, Parameshwara said Siddaramaiah had earlier been part of the JD(S) and even served as its president before being expelled.

He noted that the internal history of that party was best known to those within it and declined to comment on specific internal matters.

Defending the Chief Minister's ideological position, Parameshwara said Siddaramaiah's politics had always been rooted in social justice and that there was nothing new or opportunistic about his stance.

The Chief Minister, he said, had consistently built his political career on that foundation.

(With PTI inputs)