Karnataka minister Parameshwara says ready to resign to make way for new faces if high command asks him

Bengaluru: With voices emerging from within the party that ministers in the cabinet should be replaced with fresh faces after a while, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said he was ready to resign if the Congress party leadership asks him to do so.

He said that the party high command would take decisions at an appropriate time regarding the cabinet reshuffle and whether three more deputy chief ministers would be appointed.

'It's good, it is good that everyone should become minister, everyone should get an opportunity,' the 72-year-old Parameshwara said about the reported demand by ministerial aspirants to change incumbents after 20 months of this government's tenure to make way for new faces Speaking to reporters here, he said it is for the Congress high command to decide, as appointment of ministers or their replacements are not decided at the state level.

Asked if he is ready to quit as minister if the situation arises, he said, 'Oh yes! Any time. Didn't I quit as minister and take up the party responsibility (as KPCC chief) in the past? I have done it in the past. If asked even now, I would do it.'

Last week's dinner meeting at Parameshwara's residence, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa and PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi in attendance, triggered rumours that the home minister could be in the race to be CM in the event of a change of guard.

Replying to a question on the demand from certain quarters that there should be three more deputy chief ministers in the state, he said it is left to the Congress high command to decide what position should be given to whom. They will decide on it at an appropriate time, he said.

There have been voices within a section of the state Congress, such as Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna who are pitching for three more DCMs in Karnataka ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls -- one each from Veerashaiva-Lingayat, SC/ST and minority communities.

The Congress had decided that D K Shivakumar will be “the only” Deputy CM amid stiff competition between him and Siddaramaiah for the chief minister’s post after the assembly election results came out in May this year.

Asked about the reported trip scheduled by PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi to Dubai along with 50 former and current legislators after Deepavali, which has led to speculations in the political circles, and the message it would send, Parameshwara said, 'I don't know, let's see who all go and then we will get to know.'

'If our legislators are going, we will have to then see what and why. Whether they are going for a pleasure trip or whether they are going there on the invitation of Kannada associations there (for Rajyotsava or state formation day celebrations),' he said.

Jarkiholi, who is reportedly miffed about certain developments in the government and the party, had recently said that he has had to make several 'compromises' over the past four months.

Noting that state Congress president D K Shivakumar has warned against making any unnecessary statements regarding the party's internal matters, Parameshwara, the former KPCC chief, said the high command too has asked not to make comments that would lead to confusion.

Responding to a question on BJP MLA and former Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi predicting the collapse of the Congress government in the state, Parameshwara said every BJP leader is speaking about the Congress, instead of what is happening within their own party.

'They (BJP leaders) seem to be more interested in our party and looking at joining our party. If not, why will someone show so much interest,' he said, adding that the party would decide whether to take them in or not if they express interest.