‘No rift’ but KPCC President G Parameshwara to skip Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah's yatra

BENGALURU: KPCC President G Parameshwara shot down claims of any difference of opinion with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah saying that nothing would bring a rift between the CM and him.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Parameshwara who was asked about the Chief Minister’s Jana Aashirvada Yatra, said he would not be participating in the yatra was it was not a party programme.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had earlier announced that he would be going on the yatra from December 15 to January 15, where he would visit all districts, address rallies and talk about government schemes and programmes.

“We have not really talked about any yatra. Our strategy is quite different. The chief minister is only visiting the districts to talk about the government programmes. I will not take part in the government programmes which CM participates unless it is held in my district (Tumakuru) where I am an MLC. I will be taking part along with the chief minister only for party programmes,” he said.

Parameshwara denied this meant there was any rift with the chief minister and said this two pronged strategy of having government and party programmes were designed by them.  

He also defended AICC general secretary and state in-charge K C Venugopal saying that even the Kerala High Court had said the case filed by Sarita Nair in the solar scam case was a political gimmick.
“All this is completely politically motivated. This is not going to impact the Congress in any way. Venugopal is in no way involved in this case,” he asserted.