Congress to fight 2023 Karnataka polls under collective leadership, says G Parameshwara

Senior Karnataka Congress leader G Parameshwara on Saturday said the party will face the state assembly polls scheduled for next year under a collective leadership.

Ruling out speculation that he was sulking over being sidelined in the party and planning to join the BJP, the former deputy chief minister in reply to a question on his chief ministerial aspirations, maintained that the party high command will decide in this regard, when Congress comes to power in the state.

"Our (state) president D K Shivakumar has said it will be collective leadership...we will go (for polls) under collective leadership," Parameshwara told reporters in response to a question whether Congress will face the 2023 assembly polls under Siddaramaiah (Congress Legislature Party leader) or Shivakumar's leadership.

To a question whether he was upset over not being given an appropriate position in the party, Parameshwara said, "No, I'm not upset. I have worked as the party president successively for eight years and also as Deputy Chief Minister in the (coalition) government, I'm not unhappy or upset."

Asked about talks in the political circles that he may join the BJP, the former KPCC chief merely said, "I don't know about it." The message of collective leadership from a senior party leader comes amidst ongoing political one-upmanship between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, both nursing Chief Ministerial ambitions on Congress coming to power. Asked about him raising in the past the issue of Karnataka not having a Dalit CM, Parameshwara, who hails from the community, said, according to the situation several people express their opinion, and as of now the only intention is to bring the party to power.

"The party has to come to power first, right? We are making efforts for it," he added. Stating that there is nothing to be surprised about several leaders in the Congress being in the race for the Chief Minister's post, Parameshwara said there are several senior leaders who have served the party for decades and it is natural for them to have a desire. When questioned whether he too has such a desire, the Congress leader said the party high command will ultimately decide on it (CM) and added "let's bring the party to power first."