BENGALURU: Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara here on Friday dismissed speculation that former chief minister Siddaramaiah’s sudden departure from the 100-day event of the D K Shivakumar-led government and subsequent visit to Delhi were linked to discontent within the Congress.
Speaking to reporters, Parameshwara said Siddaramaiah had always maintained that he would abide by the Congress high command’s decision and had accordingly stepped down as chief minister.
“If Siddaramaiah had been unhappy, he would not have resigned as chief minister. That is a closed chapter and there is no point discussing it repeatedly,” he said.
Siddaramaiah had left the ‘Drudha Karnatakada Sankalpa’ programme at the Vidhana Soudha’s Banquet Hall on Thursday, shortly after the event marking 100 days of the Shivakumar government got underway. He subsequently travelled to Delhi amid speculation that he would meet senior Congress leaders over recent political developments in the state and the pending nomination of five MLCs by the Governor.
Seeking to downplay the political significance of the visit, Parameshwara said Siddaramaiah’s travel to Delhi was a routine affair as he is a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC).
“The Delhi visit is natural. It should not be given any other meaning. Since there was no official CWC meeting there was convention that the party Delhi leadership call the CWC member individually to discuss matters related to national and state politics, including the polls to Lok Sabha and assembly" he said, adding that the nomination of MLCs may also come for discussion.
Parameshwara said the Shivakumar government had completed 100 days and was facing several challenges, but would overcome them and continue to provide good governance.
Ravi’s Apex Bank election aimed at avoiding contest
On MLC S Ravi, brother-in-law of Shivakumar, being elected president of the Karnataka State Cooperative Apex Bank, Parameshwara said the Congress had preferred a unanimous election rather than a contest.
“Since our party had decided that the president should be elected unanimously and there should be no election, S Ravi was chosen at the final stage. K N Rajanna was present at the crucial meeting and the decision was taken with his consent. Therefore, there is no question of discontent,” he said.
Asked about reports of a 2.5-year rotational arrangement for the post and whether Rajanna could lose his opportunity if the Congress failed to retain power, Parameshwara said the Apex Bank was an independent, non-political institution and its board of directors would take the appropriate decision.
Homeless ex-servicemen too will get sites
Parameshwara also said homeless former servicemen would be included in the government’s house-site distribution programme.
Under the scheme, 50,000 30x40-ft sites are proposed to be distributed in each district to eligible homeless beneficiaries. In the first phase, five lakh sites would be distributed across Karnataka over the next two months, he said.