As the suspense over the post of Karnataka State Chief continues, Congress politician G. Parameshwara on Wednesday said that there is no controversy in the selection for the post.
While talking to the media, Parameshwara said: “Let me clarify that there is no controversy in the selection of the Karnataka State Chief. A procedure is being followed. The party high command is meeting the State Chief candidates and it will be finalized today or by tomorrow.”
However, on Tuesday Parameshwara, who served as the Deputy State Chief earlier, surprised everyone in the party when he said that he was ready to rake up the post if the party leadership asks him to do so.
“I have faith in the high command. I have some principles. I can also take some 50 lawmakers, shout and all that. But party discipline is more important to me. If high command decides and asks me to run the govt, I'm ready to take up that responsibility. It's not like I'll refuse the opportunity. The high command knows that I've worked for the party, I helped the party come to power, I was deputy CM... that's why I'm quiet instead of lobbying. That doesn't mean I'm unfit,” he said on Tuesday while talking to the media.
He even said that a member of the Dalit community should become the state chief. He further stated that it is natural for Dalits to ask for representation in the southern state.
The Congress is mulling over the candidate for Karnataka State Chief days after securing a resounding victory in the recently-concluded State Assembly polls.
The party’s top leadership and frontrunners to the post – Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar – are holding meetings at the residence of party chief Mallikarjun Kharge. The deliberations for the right candidate for the post are going on since Sunday.
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala said that the decision about the Karnataka State Chief will come in the next 48-72 hours.