Karnataka: Trouble brews for Cong? Parameshwara wants a Dalit as Deputy CM

Not giving a Dalit the deputy chief minister’s post might spell trouble for the Congress in Karnataka, G Parameshwara, senior party leader from the state, warned the high command on Thursday (May 18).

The 71-year-old Parameshwara, a Dalit, was deputy chief minister during the Congress-JD(S) coalition government led by HD Kumaraswamy. He was also the longest-serving (eight years) Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief, a post currently held by DK Shivakumar.

Parameshwara’s veiled warning came hours after the Congress announced that Siddaramaiah would be chief minister and Shivakumar his only deputy.

“Top brass must understand expectations”

To a question about Shivakumar having allegedly put a condition to the leadership that he should be the only DCM, Parameshwara said, “What he has said might be right from Shivakumar’s point of view, but the high command’s viewpoint should be different. High command has to decide; we expect them (high command) to…”

On whether injustice has been done to Dalits by not giving a DCM post to the community, he said the people, especially the Dalit community, have huge expectations.

Watch: Several CM aspirants? That speaks well of Congress, says G Parameshwara

“Understanding these expectations, our leadership will have to make a decision. If it doesn’t happen, naturally, there will be reactions. There is no need for me to say it. Instead of realising it later, if they rectify it now, it will be better. Or else, it may cause trouble for the party. I would like to tell them to understand it,” Parameshwara said.

Hope for “justice” during Cabinet announcement

He said he was an aspirant for both the posts of CM and DCM.

“I was both chief minister and deputy chief minister aspirant but now we have to abide by the decision of the high command. So, let’s see what they will do in the days to come. For now, they have made announcements about the two; we will have to wait and see how they will do justice during the Cabinet announcement,” he said.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, he said, “The high command has announced CM and DCM. Siddaramaiah is becoming CM for the second time from our party; we expect him to provide good administration. Expectations of the people from us are huge because of the promise of good administration in our manifesto. I welcome the decision and expect them to take all of us into confidence in giving good administration.”

Also read: 10 CM aspirants in Karnataka Cong, I’m one of them, says Parameshwara

“I expect them to give”

Parameshwara, who represents Koratagere in Tumakuru district, had lost the 2013 assembly polls when he was KPCC president. He was a contender for the chief minister’s post then, but as he was defeated, he was made an MLC and a minister in the Siddaramaiah government (2013-2018).

Responding to a question about “none of them” (Dalits) having asked for the DCM post with a strong voice, Parameshwara said a strong voice doesn’t mean shouting with a demand.

“We have asked (for posts)…I hope the high command will pay attention to it, as people have voted for us and have contributed to Congress coming to power. We have to keep this in mind and move ahead,” he said.

Earlier in the day, before Congress’s official announcement naming Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar as CM and DCM, respectively, Parameshwara, in response to a question on whether he would ask for a DCM post, said, “What is there to ask? They should give. As I was DCM earlier, I expect them to give. Let’s see…”

Also read: Karnataka: Lingayats, Muslims seek CM, Deputy CM, plum ministerial posts

“All communities have contributed”

Objecting to Shivakumar’s alleged demand that he alone should be DCM, he said, “One person alone should be in power (and) others should not be is not a right stand. Everyone has contributed towards the party coming to power. All communities have contributed, and naturally, justice should be done to them.”

Pointing out that Dalits, Lingayats, and minorities have strongly stood by the Congress party in the polls, he said the Congress has won 35 out of 51 Dalit seats.

“Along with that, in two general seats, the community candidates have won. So, it is totally 37. Dalit votes have made an impact in several other segments,” he said.

In the May 10 elections to the 224-member Assembly, the Congress scored an emphatic victory by bagging 135 seats, while the ruling BJP and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular) secured 66 and 19 seats respectively.

(With agency inputs)