Senior Congress leaders in Karnataka demand DyCM post for Parameshwara

Bangalore, Jul 4: The demand for the elevation of KPCC president G Parameshwara to the post of Deputy Chief Minister has found many voices in state doubling the problems of two month old government of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Karnataka.

A group of senior Congress leaders is learnt to have urged AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Digvijay Singh to make KPCC president G Parameshwara deputy chief minister.

The leaders, mostly old-timers, are understood to have met Singh late on Tuesday evening and tried to convince him of the need for recognising the contribution of Parameshwara, who lost the Assembly election from Koratagere. It is said that a memorandum signed by about 50 office-bearers of the total 107 was also submitted to Singh.

But, there was no official confirmation in this regard. Interestingly, none of these leaders went on record on creating a parallel power centre in the government.

However, Singh, it is learnt, has not assured anything to the leaders who met him.

He is learnt to have said that coordination committee, in states where the Congress is power, is headed by the State party chief and the manifesto implementation committee is headed by the chief minister. Both the committees have to coordinate properly and provide good governance. This would be the norm in Karnataka too, he is learnt to have said and, asked Parameshwara and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to draw the list of names who should be on the panels.

Later, reacting to a question by the media in this regard, Singh said some of the leaders have urged him to make Parameshwara the deputy chief minister.

But, it is an internal matter of the party. The issue will be discussed in the party forum and appropriate decision will be taken, he added.

Singh, at the same time, said Siddaramaiah is a backward classes leader and there is a lot of expectations from him. He has been running the government well and the party is hopeful that he will continue with the good work. The leaders have been asked to coordinate.

The old-timers in the party are upset because “migrants” who originally come from the Janata Parivar, including Siddaramaiah, have got the lion's share in the government.

They were unhappy with the portfolio allocations as all those who have been given plum posts were close to Siddaramaiah.

Besides, Siddaramaiah's announcement of popular schemes on the first day of assuming office did not go down well with the senior leaders. They, as a result, complained that there was lack of coordination between the party and government.

Though the party high command finally announced setting up of a coordination committee, the old-timers appear to be not satisfied.

The intention of the move, according to these leaders, is to send across a message to the party high command that all is not well in the State party. It is also aimed at highlighting the gap between the party and the government.

Digvijay Singh is learnt have asked Parameshwara to submit a detailed report on the controversy related to Minor Irrigation Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi. Singh sought a report after a section of leaders complained to him against the minister.

Tangadagi is in the eye of a controversy over the transfer of Koppal deputy commissioner Tulsi Maddineni.

Tangadagi is said to have pressured Siddaramaiah to transfer her for ordering the demolition of a bungalow built by the minister's brother Nagaraj on an allegedly encroached land in Koppal district.

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‘Have letter, next step is...’: MUDA on Siddaramaiah’s wife’s offer to return plots

News Network

October 1,2024

Mysuru: The Mysuru land authority at the centre of a financial and political storm - involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and alleged losses of ₹ 45 crore to the state - has received an offer of restitution from his wife, the urban development body's Commissioner, AN Raghunandan said.

"I am in possession of a letter written by Siddaramaiah's wife regarding her intention to return 14 plots (of land). The Chief Minister's son, Yatindra Siddaramaiah, came to our office and delivered the letter. We will take legal advice for the next step..." he told reporters in Mysuru.

Mr Raghunandan also confirmed anti-corruption officials from the city's Lokayukta branch had written seeking cooperation in its inquiry into the charges against the Chief Minister.

He said the Mysuru Urban Development Authority, or MUDA, "will cooperate with the investigation".

The Enforcement Directorate, however, have not reached out as yet, Mr Raghunandan said. The ED, a federal agency, has filed a money laundering case against Siddaramaiah.

There have also been calls for the CBI, another federal agency, to investigate charges against the Chief Minister, but that appears unlikely now given the Karnataka government has withdrawn general consent for its operations in the state. Law Minister HK Patil made the announcement last week.

He ruled out any link with demands for the Chief Minister to be investigated by the CBI, which reports to the BJP-led central government and the ruling Congress and other opposition parties have claimed is being used by that party to target rival leaders, particularly before elections.

On Monday - three days after the Lokayukta filed a case against the Chief Minister, and hours after the ED launched its probe- Siddaramaiah's wife said she had planned to give up the land earlier but was advised against it the allegations against her husband are "politically motivated".

But now, she said, she had made up her mind as "no house, plot, or wealth is more important than my husband's honor, dignity, and peace of mind". She also said the decision was hers alone; "... I am not aware of my husband's opinion on this matter, nor do I concern myself with what my son thinks".

And, in a comment seen as a calculated swipe at the opposition BJP, which is leading calls for the Chief Minister's resignation, his wife also made an emotional appeal to "all political parties and the media" to "please not drag women of political families into the controversy to settle political scores".

Investigative action against the Chief Minister follows the Karnataka High Court quashing a challenge to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot's order sanctioning Siddaramaiah's prosecution.

Subsequently a trial court ordered framing of charges and directed the Lokayukta to complete the investigation within three months. The ED case was filed based on the Lokayukta FIR.

Siddaramaiah faces an inquiry into claims Parvathi was allotted 14 plots of land in an upmarket Mysuru area as compensation for land elsewhere - holding a far lower value - taken for infrastructure projects.

The Chief Minister has denied all charges and refused calls to resign.

He has been backed by the Congress and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, who is also the state unit boss, and also by members of his cabinet, including IT Minister Priyank Kharge. However, some within the Congress also want him to quit, such as former Assembly Speaker KB Koliwad.

"I will fight. I am not afraid of anything. We are ready to face the investigation. I will fight this legally," he said last week after the High Court had quashed his challenge to the Governor's sanction.

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