Delhi will take call on berths: Dr G Parameshwar

Bengaluru: KPCC president Dr G Parameshwar on Monday ruled out any discussions within the party over veterans making way for new faces in the new coalition ministry headed by CM H D Kumaraswamy. 

Speaking to reporters on the eve of a meeting with party president Rahul Gandhi and other top leaders of Congress in New Delhi, he said though he received suggestions to this effect from some quarters, decisions on who  make the cut and join the cabinet are arrived at by central leaders, and not those in Benglauru. “The Congress has its own tradition, and we have been following it diligently so far. Issues like who should land which post is generally decided by our leaders in New Delhi. Suggestions do come on a day-to-day basis from various quarters, and as the PCC president, I bring it to their (Central leaders) attention," he added. In response to a question, the KPCC president asserted that state unit leaders will visit Delhi in a day or two to discuss and finalise the list legislators to join the cabinet as well as allocation of portfolios. “I am not sure whether we are going there (Delhi) today or tomorrow. The information is that Congress president Mr Rahul Gandhi will arrive today (from the US). Once he is back, he will call us, and we will go." 

Sources in the party said his statement assumes significance in the light of reports of veteran leaders expressing displeasure that that they will not make it to the list as they will be forced to serve as mentors for young legislators set to join the ministry. The resignation of working president Dr S R Patil, owning moral responsibility for the party’s dismal show in north Karnataka, was a clear sign of senior leaders attempting to mount pressure on leaders in Delhi to secure berths in the cabinet.