BANGALORE: The war of words between KPCC president G Parameshwara and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah escalated on Wednesday.
Paying homage to former KPCC president V S Koujalagi, who died earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah said: “I don’t know how long he (Parameshwara) will continue as KPCC president. He has already completed four years. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi will decide on his continuation.”
Parameshwara was on the dais when Siddaramaiah made the statement, but didn’t respond to it when he spoke.
After taking the swipe at his feuding party colleague, Siddaramaiah said his own continuation would also depend on the party high command.
Siddaramaiah’s statement comes in the wake of Parameshwara’s recent allegation of “perceived corruption” in the state government.
The Chief Minister also said inducting Parameshwara into the Cabinet or making him Deputy Chief Minister was in the hands of the Gandhis.
“If they decide, it will happen immediately,” he said, indicating that he was not standing in way of the Dalit leader getting into the government.
He also complimented Parameshwara for his work over the last four years, but expressed regret that the party had failed to get the expected number of Lok Sabha seats from Karnataka.
Siddaramaiah urged party workers to gear up for the panchayat and BBMP elections, due early next year.