Change in KPCC chief post unlikely
New Delhi, (DHNS): The Congress high command is likely to ask Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G Parameshwara to continue in the post till the next Assembly polls while asking him to quit as the home minister soon.
The decision seems to have been taken by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who held a meeting with over 17 leaders, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Parameshwara and party MPs, separately on Monday.
“The party top brass will announce the decision in a day or two,” Siddaramaiah told reporters after he held a second round of discussion with Rahul, along with Parameshwara.
Rahul is understood to have taken the decision on continuing Parameshwara as party chief as he felt it would be politically imprudent to remove a Dalit party president when the BJP was all out to woo Dalit voters. It was decided that Parameshwara should concentrate on the elections by giving up his ministerial role, to which he reportedly agreed, a highly placed source told DH.
Energy Minister D K Shivakumar, a top contender for the KPCC chief’s post, may be made the chairman of the campaign committee. Another key contender, Water Resources Minister M B Patil, will be given charge of the manifesto committee.
In a bid to placate the Lingayat community, former minister S R Patil, who was also in the race for the PCC chief’s post, will be made the chairman of the Legislative Council or a minister in the Cabinet.
At present, there are two vacancies in the Cabinet. Another vacancy will be created once Parameshwara demits office. Rahul’s interaction with top state leaders is being seen as the culmination of an elaborate exercise undertaken after K C Venugopal was appointed AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka.
Consequent to Parameshwara continuing as PCC chief, the party high command is expected to make changes in the organisational set-up in a month. Even district units are unlikely to be disturbed till the elections are over, a source said.
Though Siddaramaiah wanted a Lingayat leader, especially S R Patil, he was “forced” to accept Parameshwara’s continuation because he was backed by senior Congress leaders.
Congress’ leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge is also said to have cautioned the party high command against replacing a Dalit as PCC chief with a representative of the “forward” community.