INTERVIEW | Former Karnataka deputy CM G Parameshwara: I want to become CM, why should I not?

In an interaction with the TNSE team, the veteran Congress leader said the party will win 130 seats if they put their act together and select good winnable candidates. Excerpts.
Former Karnataka deputy chief minister Dr G Parameshwara
Former Karnataka deputy chief minister Dr G Parameshwara

State Congress manifesto committee chairman and former deputy chief minister Dr G Parameshwara says the political situation in Karnataka is similar to that of 2013 when Congress came to power. In an interaction with the TNSE team, the veteran Congress leader said the party will win 130 seats if they put their act together and select good winnable candidates. Excerpts.

How do you look at many opinion polls that indicate that it’s difficult for Congress to get the majority?
Four surveys have come up so far. None of them has given more than 100 seats to either Congress or BJP. The reason is that the voters have still not decided. We have two months until the poll announcement. All parties, including Congress, are going for rallies to reach people. The voter has to decide. We will look at which part of the state we are not doing well and which sections of people are not comfortable with us. These are the factors we are looking at now.

What are Congress prospects?

We are looking at forming the government by winning around 130 seats. In 2013, there was a similar scenario in Karnataka. This time, it is much better for Congress. We need to put our act together. We are united, but still, the perception in the state, media and a section of people is that we are divided, which is not true. There will be differences within any political party. But definitely, we are not fighting among ourselves. We have to put our act together, select good, winnable candidates. Those parameters have to be looked into very seriously. If we take all these into consideration, we will reach 130. There is a scope and possibility, we can make it.

Why is it better this time than in 2013?

Comparatively both at the national and state level, the governments have given bad governance. In Karnataka, BS Yediyurappa and later Basavaraj Bommai kept saying many things, but people were not happy with them. Many programmes have been withdrawn. Delivering schemes or money is not happening. Moreover, people’s perception on increasing prices of essential commodities, including fuel, is not good. It has had an impact on people. As far as social issues like communal harmony or peace are concerned, they are happening at different levels. When we go on district yatras, we get some sort of an indication that people are looking for a change.

You are heading the Congress manifesto committee, what exercise are you doing to prepare the party manifesto?

We are conscious about what we announce. Earlier, we used to prepare manifestos secretly and announce them at the right time. But now, we are adopting a different strategy and making some announcements. We do some exercises including working out financial details before making the announcements. For example, when we say Rs 2000 to the woman head of households, it’s going to be Rs 800 crore per month. Our budget is Rs 2.65 lakh crore and we add 15% escalation every year. We can make adjustments by cutting down unnecessary expenditure and also utilising central grants.

What are your views on differences between DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah?

More than half of that is not true, knowing Siddaramaiah so well and for so long, working with him in the party and government. Yes, he is a different person. The difference between the two (Siddaramiah and DKS) is not so much that is a worrying factor for us within the party. In 2013, we had differences in selecting candidates. I was KPCC president and Siddaramaiah was Leader of Opposition. But we sorted it out. In a few constituencies, we both could not come to a decision and left it to the Central Election Committee.

There is a difference between yours and current KPCC president DK Shivakumar’s style of working …

Persons and personalities are different. As the KPCC President, I would quietly accept or quietly reject (suggestions), but Shivakumar might not do the same. Everybody’s interest is the party. The party has to come to power. Either you become CM or someone else, first, the party has to come to power and ultimately everyone should work towards it and I am sure that is where they both are heading to.

Are you also a CM aspirant?

First thing is that the party has to come to power. We have to get the numbers. I might ask for the CM’s post. Somebody else will also seek it. Naturally, the CLP leader and KPCC president will also ask. Decisions have to be made by the high command and at that point in time, they will decide on the candidate who can deliver on the manifesto. We are going for the Lok Sabha polls in 2024. That also will be under consideration.

So, it is not only between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar?

No, it is not like that. Why should it be? There are over a dozen people. If you ask me why I am in politics, I would say I want to become a chief minister. Why should I not? I have come this far. I have become a Deputy Chief Minister. Yes, naturally I too am interested. It all depends on many factors.

How is Congress looking at the reservation issue?

The reservation issue cannot be resolved so easily. There are already 101 communities in the SC and 52 in the ST. There are many communities which want to come to this ambit. This is a complicated issue and we are not going to meddle with it. Our manifesto will not speak much about the reservation issue. It’s an issue which is not going to make us comfortable.

Will you have a relook at the conversion law?

We will see when we come to power. We will not make any announcements now. But when we come to power, we will relook into the laws made by the BJP government.

Young, first-time voters are attracted to BJP. Do you have something for them in the party manifesto?

We are going to say something about youth very seriously. We will give separate programmes for the youth and women, and we are working on it.

What about employment?

We have already said we are going to fill up all the sanctioned vacancies. Within one year, we will fill up all backlog vacancies. We have made that commitment. There are vacancies in all the departments. I run educational institutions and we don’t have teachers. I have nearly 40 grant-in-aid high schools and we have over 100 vacancies. We have been struggling for three years. They are not permitting us to fill them up. We are managing with part-time teachers and that is the situation in government schools. If we fill vacancies in the government, nearly two lakh people will get employment.

Why did you join politics?

I joined politics accidentally. I was a (agriculture) scientist. I was in Australia. I was doing quite well. I had already joined as a postdoctoral fellow and came here for a holiday after four-and-a-half years. That was when my father was starting a medical college and we wanted to invite Rajiv Gandhi, then Prime Minister. At that time, we interacted and he asked me to join public life. He inspired me.

You are not assertive when it comes to the CM’s post.

I have my own personality. See, everybody says that you’re not very aggressive. You don’t shout, scream, you don’t use bad words. I have heard this kind for 35 years. But I have not changed. Yes, I’m not aggressive because my personality is not. I am decent enough for public life… I have come this far. Being that personality, I have come this far. Becoming a deputy chief minister... it’s not a joke. Why do I change now when I have done so well in public life? SM Krishna, Ramakrishna Hegde and Veerendra Patil were not aggressive. People do like some decent people.

Congress used to do well in SC/ST constituencies. But it is almost like BJP has overtaken you. Do you think you can do well in those segments under Kharge’s leadership?

We are planning to do well. This is an issue which we discussed. We are targeting 51 constituencies, including ST constituencies. We will look at them as special cases, because we have lost our base. We are at it.

Will AAP be a spoiler?

I would say it’s kind of a test for them…

BJP is depending on the Modi wave. Do you think that will shatter Congress’ plans?

No doubt he is a charismatic leader. But what would he say in Karnataka? If someone asks me to give five things that Modi has done for Karnataka, I can’t find even one thing. Not one issue has been resolved. Mekedatu and Kalasa Banduri issues are still pending. In 2015, he laid the foundation for the HAL helicopter factory in Tumakuru and announced that they will launch the first helicopter in 2018. Till today, it is not done. We were hoping 6,500 people, mostly from Tumakuru, will get employment. Nothing happened. He has not done anything. He may try to create a wave. But what are you going to sell? In 2014 and 2019, he sold a dream to all of us. Yes, he is a charismatic leader. He knows how to express himself, which may work or may not work. We as Congress people will see that it will not work.

Is the party concerned about a split in minority community votes?

The basic issue for minorities is security. They want security. Who will provide security? Will the BJP provide it? Their agenda is different and every minority person knows that. Then who is next? It is JDS and Congress. Will JDS come to power on its own and give protection to minorities? The answer is no. But Congress can as we did before. We may have made some mistakes. I admit it. But we will give them protection in terms of laws, security in terms of everything and their development. We will focus on their education, whatever their small businesses, industries and we will stand by them. We do not consider them second-grade citizens. That’s why they certainly trust us and be with us.

Has Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra had any impact on Karnataka?

Politically no. But personally to Rahul Gandhi, yes. It has changed how people look at him.

Entire exercise is to give value to the brand RaGa?

Not a brand. He had a mission. He wanted people to understand him all over the country. He was projected as a different person than he is by the BJP on different media platforms. So, he wanted to change that as he is not like that, but an individual who is sincerely committed to serve the nation in whatever capacity. He has done it, and people, whatever their political inclination, have realised that he is a sincere person. Ultimately it will help the party.

Which role do you like the most, the scientist, the sportsperson, the academician or that of a politician?

Each one gives a different satisfaction. Politics gives satisfaction that at the end of the day, I have done something for somebody. Poor students come for help and it’s nice if you build a pucca house for a family living in a thatched hut. If you do a big project like irrigation, you feel happy. We have been able to build 85 educational institutions. We have started a new medical college at Nelamangala. I feel okay as I am doing something for the nation. My father (HM Gangadharaiah) started an engineering college in 1979. Thirty thousand graduates from there and another six thousand doctors from Siddhartha Medical College in Tumakuru pass out. As a sportsperson, I set a record at the university level in 100 metre sprint. That was a different satisfaction. As a scientist, I discovered a chemical for the first time which gave wonderful satisfaction as I felt I had done something great, and my professor gave me a pat on the back. I published nine papers in international journals for my PhD and got selected for post-doctoral positions in France, Canada, California in the US, and Melbourne in Australia all at the same time.

What are your views on I-T raids on Congress leaders, including you?

There are agencies where you can control the income tax system. The raids need not be targeted at a person. Our organisation is 65 years old. We did not get even a single notice all those years. All of a sudden, 200 people came and raided the establishment. What do you say about that? It happened, just because I was a DCM and looking after the government. They could have issued a notice and there is a provision to fine if found evading the tax. I think somewhere these agencies are being misused. Why are only people from Congress and opposition parties targeted?

You are hopeful of coming to power. How about 2024 LS polls?

We will improve our position. We will cross 100 seats. Yes, we will see if AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge stands a chance to become the PM. Given the way he is being projected, there is a possibility.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com