Post cabinet expansion, Siddaramaiah downplays Dr G’s contribution
31 Oct 2015 12:22 PM IST
Siddaramaiah dismissed the theory that Dr Parameshwar alone resurrected the party's prospects ahead of the 2013 elections
KPCC president G. Parameshwar and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at a function to felicitate the former on his completion of five years as state Congress chief in Bengaluru on Friday (Photo: DC)
Bengaluru: A day after four ministers were inducted into the state Cabinet, rumblings have started in the Congress with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah subtly downplaying the contribution of KPCC president Dr G. Parameshwar in bringing the party to power in 2013. Speaking at the Sarthaka Samavesha, that was organised to felicitate Dr Parameshwar on his completion of five years as KPCC president, Mr Siddaramaiah dismissed the theory that Dr Parameshwar alone resurrected the party's prospects ahead of the 2013 elections.
Stating that he took the BJP government head on for four years as leader of the opposition, Mr Siddaramaiah said, “Throughout Dr Parameshwar's five-year journey, I was his constant companion and worked with the same vigour. In fact, I started working for the resurrection of the party's image quite early, nearly two years before Dr Parameshwar took over as KPCC president.”
The CM contended that he was the one who first had to face the wrath of BJP chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa when he took the powerful Reddy brothers head-on. “The 256-km Ballari Chalo padayatra, which galvanised the electorate across the state, happened when R.V. Deshpande was the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president,” the Chief Minister said.
Dr Parameshwar who took over in October 2010, got inspired by the padyatara and started organising similar padyatras called Congressge Banni Badalavane Tanni and Congress Nadige Krishneya Kadege.
“I was his constant companion. The party’s resurrection was carried out under our joint leadership and with the support of other senior leaders,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said. The Chief Minister claimed that there was never a single episode when they disagreed, be it ticket distribution or appointments. “It is made out that we are constantly at war. It is not so, if that was the case, we both would not have been successful in winning elections to the state Legislative Assembly or gram panchayats. Our only regret is losing the parliament elections,” the Chief Minister said.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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