CM Siddaramaiah blames media for sour ties with G Parameshwar

Bengaluru: When in trouble, blame the media is the mantra of most public figures and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah proved no different on Saturday. Coming face to face with KPCC chief, Dr G Parameshwar for the first time in public at the state Congress party’s executive committee meeting, since the controversy over the latter's ambition to become deputy chief minister broke,  he blamed the media for trying to drive a wedge between them.

“Dr Parameshwar and I are good friends. We have taken many decisions together. A section of the media is trying to drive a wedge between us for the sake of sensationalism. I  have full faith in him (Dr Parameshwar),” he asserted, while making no reference to the creation of a deputy chief minister’s post or his own take on it. All he said was, “I am a party man. I know for sure, I am nothing without it,” and agreed with Dr Parameshwar that ministers should visit party offices more often and meet party workers. “After Dr Parameshwar wrote to ministers, I too wrote letters to all of them to visit the KPCC offices,” he said.

While Mr Siddaramaiah was mellow and conciliatory in his approach, Dr Parameshwar assertive,  reminding ministers that they may have big positions in the government, but they were nothing without the party. Asking the ministers to visit offices of the District Congress Committees, he said they must  make it a point to meet DCC presidents and other office bearers as well to send the right signals to party workers.

He also advised them to get involved in the party’s membership drive. “The drive will go on till December. Ministers need to work with party leaders to make it a success,” he stressed. Later briefing reporters, Dr Parameshwar said appointments would be made to boards and corporations  by the month end. “We have decided to appoint both the chairmen and members of various boards and corporations simultaneously,” he explained, adding that ministers had been told to work aggressively to help the flood affected areas and also the drought –hit regions of the state. Asked about the party’s one-man-one-post policy, he said many ministers holding DCC president posts had stepped down.