BENGALURU: A day after KPCC president G Parameshwara skipped the swearing-in ceremony of the three new ministers, the Congress tried to douse rumours of his unhappiness with the choices.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claimed that there was no disagreement and Parameshwara could not attend the programme as he was in Delhi.
Actually Parameshwara was holed up at his residence in Sadashivanagar. When this was pointed out to him, an irate Siddaramaiah shot back, “Then why don’t you go ask him?”
Ramalinga Reddy, who has been handed over the Home portfolio, not only visited the Chief Minister, but also met Parameshwara at his residence. After the meeting, he said Parameshwara had not been able to attend the swearing-in ceremony due to prior commitments and had advised him to be wary of communal elements in the state trying to foment hate.
AICC General Secretary and state in-charge K C Venugopal insisted that there was no problem between the leaders. “I spoke to Parameshwara in the morning. There is no problem. All decisions were taken by Siddaramaiah, Parameshwara and me. We were in constant touch with AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi.
All this news of dissension is mere speculation. There is no problem,” he insisted. At the heart of the discontent was the appointment of R B Timmapur as a minister. All the three appointees are favoured by Siddaramaiah and Parameshwara not only failed to get a Dalit (right or left) candidate selected as minister, but also had to lose out on Tiptur MLA K Shadakshari.
He had also expressed serious reservations about the appointment of Timmapur, who is facing an adverse report by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Commissioner about submission of travel allowance bills and registering in Bengaluru for the purpose of voting. Parameshwara was home a second day but was unreachable. No party activities were scheduled for the day on account of Bakrid.