Bengaluru: Amid speculations of a leadership change in Karnataka, state Home Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday said the party high command is observing everything and will take a decision when the time comes.
Responding to a question about the “drama” surrounding a possible change in leadership and the public statements made by some party leaders and MLAs, Parameshwara acknowledged that a drama is indeed unfolding, but said he does not wish to “open another drama company” by adding to it with his comments.
“As you (media persons) said, a drama is going on. Repeated discussions and statements on this (leadership change issue) should not happen. There is no problem in the administration—it is running smoothly, and the Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) is effectively handling it. I don’t want to open another drama company (by making statements),” the senior Congress leader said.
The possibility of a cabinet reshuffle has been a hot topic since the Lok Sabha poll results, with discussions also tied to evaluating the performance of ministers. Demands from certain MLAs seeking ministerial positions have added fuel to the speculation, with some openly expressing their aspirations to join the cabinet.
On a separate note, Parameshwara condemned comments made by a seer calling for the revocation of voting rights for Muslims, stating that such remarks go against the principles of the Constitution. “Making remarks contrary to the Constitution is not right, and no one should speak or act against it. Probably, he (seer) has not properly seen the principles of the Constitution and the rights and opportunities provided in it for every community and religion. It is clear in the Constitution,” he said.
The Home Minister also addressed the controversy surrounding Congress MLA HR Gaviyappa, who publicly suggested dropping at least two of the five ‘guarantee’ schemes to allocate funds for developmental works. Parameshwara defended Gaviyappa’s right to seek funds for his constituency but criticized his opinion on the guarantee schemes. “We had promised the people of the state that we will fulfill the promises, so we are implementing them. We cannot go back on that,” he asserted. Shivakumar had earlier announced that a show cause notice would be issued to Gaviyappa for his comments, warning party leaders against making similar statements.
