As the Congress party is reshuffling its cabinet, keeping in mind the “please all” policy, G Parameshwara following Congress leadership’s decision, resigned from the post of Karnataka Home Minister on Friday. He will now continue with the party as the party’s state unit chief ahead of the 2018 Assembly polls.
Parameshwara, a Dalit, was sworn-in as Home Minister on November 2, 2015.
The AICC had formally announced on Monday that, assembly polls 2018 will be under the leadership of chief minister Siddaramaiah. Congress high command trying to establish a ‘balanced’ leadership team for Karnataka has accommodated different castes and factions in the cabinet.
The Congress had yesterday appointed S R Patil as the working president of its Karnataka unit, along with the present working president, Dinesh Gundurao, and state Power Minister D K Shivakumar as the chairman of the campaign committee. K H Muniyappa as a special invitee to the Congress Working Committee, the top decision-making body of the party. Satish Jarkiholi, was appointed as an AICC secretary.
Talking about the caste balance police adopted by Congress, Parameshwara said that, Congress did not believe in casteism, the reshuffling was done so that everyone could get a chance to work for the party. The Congress had always maintained an “inclusive approach”, he said.
Denying the opinion that he was demoted, Parameshwara said that, “Everyone has been given a responsibility. It is not a promotion or demotion.”
To the question of his Chief Ministerial aspiration, Parameshwara said that, though he did not get any indication from the Congress High Command for not being the candidate for Chief Minister, the final decision laid with the High Command. He further added that, Party’s only aim is to ensure that the party retains power in the state. It is a big challenge for the Party and the whole country is looking forward to Congress retaining power in Karnataka. He also told that the party is ready for the elections, whenever the dates are decided.