I am also in race for CM: Parameshwar

The former DyCM who worked as KPCC President for eight long years, was tipped to become CM in 2013. But he suffered an unexpected defeat in Koratagere constituency in the Assembly election that changed his political fortunes

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: Having taken a back seat all these days during the race for the CM seat between former CM Siddaramaiah and KPCC President DK Shivakumar, for mer deputy chief minister and Koratagere Congress MLA Dr G.Parameshwar has thrown his hat in the ring and has said there are ten candidates in the contention for the chief minister’s post including him.  

“The Congress Party will come to power one hundred percent. There is nothing like a Dalit CM in our party. Already, ten leaders are in the race for the CM’s post and I am also an aspirant. In our party, the CM is not selected based on caste. A capable candidate will be made CM at the right time. A leader who is capable of carrying forward the party’s ideology and having the capacity will become CM,” he said.

According to him, the prime aim should be to bring the Congress Party to power after which the high command will decide who should be the next CM. All the ten CM aspirants will respect any decision taken by the high command, he said. Dr Parameshwar has been busy distributing a booklet in his constituency on his achievements as MLA in the last five years. On former CM and JD(S) leader H.D.

Kumaraswamy’s claim that his party has set a target of 123 seats in the coming Assembly polls, Dr Parameshwar quipped that the party should first field its candidates in all 224 Assembly constituencies. The former DyCM who worked as KPCC President for eight long years, was tipped to become CM in 2013.

But he suffered an unexpected defeat in Koratagere constituency in the Assembly election that changed his political fortunes. He was subsequently nominated to the State Legislative Council and made Home Minister. Had he won in 2013, Dr Parameshwar would have given a tough fight to Siddaramaiah in the race for CM after the Congress won a majority.

There were theories doing the rounds at that time that a section of Congress leaders conspired to defeat him in Koratagere constituency to remove him from the CM race. So far, no Dalit has become the chief minister of Karnataka.