Congress’s pride of place to Parameshwara sets off new CM buzz in Karnataka again

Parameshwara incidentally was not scheduled to go to Delhi for the August 23 meeting with the top Congress leadership, but was reportedly called by the high command. He also stayed on for discussions even after the CM and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar had returned.

While Surjewala told the media that the meeting was about “the current political situation in Karnataka”, and that both Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge had held talks with senior leaders, Shivakumar dismissed Parameshwara’s presence in Delhi as related to “department work”.

“He has his department’s and party’s work. How can we decide when he should travel? We all have work in Delhi,” Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress chief, said.

The indications from the state Congress are that the exit of Siddaramaiah is not entirely out of the question, despite what the party is publicly stating. After August 23, there is talk that his replacement may well be Parameshwara who, if picked, will be Karnataka’s first Dalit CM.

This would be in tune with the Congress leadership’s concerted effort to project its pro-Dalit, pro-backward classes and pro-minorities stand, particularly when compared to the BJP.

Parameshwara has himself brushed aside the talk of him becoming CM, saying: “The question does not arise… though it is true that I had a separate discussion with Rahul Gandhi,” he said earlier this week.

Calling himself a “disciplined soldier” of the Congress who had always done every task assigned to him honestly, Parameshwara said that this was why he got an audience with Gandhi and they spoke on “party issues”. “There was no other discussion.”

A former Congress state president, Parameshwara had been a contender for the CM post in 2013, when his hopes were quashed due to the Assembly poll loss at the time from Koratagere. Siddaramaiah had gone on to become the CM.

Among the remarks that have fuelled talk that the Congress could replace Siddaramaiah was a “warning” by senior Congress minister and close Siddaramaiah associate Satish Jarkiholi to the party that a change in the CM could have ripple effects. He was speaking ahead of Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar’s visit to Delhi.

While it was up to the high command to decide the matter, Jarkiholi said: “If anything happens to Siddaramaiah, then the BJP will also target (CM) Revanth Reddy in Telangana. He will be given a similar notice (like the sanction for prosecution issued against Siddaramaiah by the Karnataka Governor), and will also have to quit. So, it is necessary that the high command takes a stand that we will not force our CMs out of office without reason. We have governments in about three-four states.”

Though Shivakumar has been eyeing the CM’s chair, with his associates claiming since the start that Siddaramaiah would make way for his deputy half-way through his term, the Congress is said to be not in favour of picking Shivakumar due to the various corruption allegations against him. However, in a big relief, the Karnataka High Court on Thursday dismissed a CBI plea seeking permission to probe the deputy CM.

Another name doing the rounds has been Kharge. However, the prospect is slim as the Congress president is seen as crucial to the AICC and the INDIA bloc.

Parameshwara has been cultivating closer ties with Siddaramaiah over the past year, despite being at loggerheads with him previously, as the CM is expected to have a say in who would replace him. Sources close to the CMO said Siddaramaiah may be inclined towards Parameshwara rather than Shivakumar, given his own constant power tussle with his deputy.

Ironically, one of the consequences of the Congress high command looking beyond Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the CM’s post is efforts of detente from both sides.

While there is increasing vocal support from Shivakumar for the continuance of Siddaramaiah as the CM, over the past month, many of the Deputy CM’s pet projects have been cleared by the Cabinet with minimal resistance. These include the decision to rename Ramanagara district as Bengaluru South, and the introduction of a Bill to create a Greater Bengaluru region.

Shivakumar incidentally is seen as having a better chance if Siddaramaiah leaves on his own after completing half of his term, and is not forced out by extraneous circumstances.

The Deputy CM may soon have to reciprocate this with more than just vocal support for Siddaramaiah – like backing release of the socio-economic caste survey, which he has been opposed to in the past, and the changes to land reform laws in the state.