Playing cards close to his chest on various issues, including the possibility of a Dalit becoming the next Chief Minister, if the Congress returns to power in the 2018 Assembly polls, G. Parameshwara on Sunday cautiously said: “The Congress Legislature Party will choose the Chief Minister for 2018”. The Congress leader had recently got an extension as Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president.
Participating in a meet-the-press programme organised by Press Club of Bengaluru and Bengaluru Reporters’ Guild, he said: “It is totally irrelevant to discuss the question of a Dalit Chief Minister. The present task is to bring the party back to power. We are studying the anti-incumbency factor too. From the feedback we have got, we are confident of crossing the 120-seat mark.”
However, he clarified that “for now, I am not an aspirant for the post of Chief Minister.” Interestingly, he did not completely rule out a Dalit becoming the next Chief Minister. “There is nothing wrong in Dalits aspiring for someone from their community to head the State,” he said, adding that “in politics, everyone is an aspirant and the electorate takes a call.”.
Dr. Parameshwara said: “There were many senior Dalit leaders, including M. Mallikarjuna Kharge, who have the potential to head the government.”
He added that he would not object if the legislature party chooses Siddaramaiah as the Chief Minister.
Reacting to BJP’s Modi Fest, he sought to know the need for such a celebration. “Is it a list of failures or unfulfilled promises they wish to celebrate? he asked.