Parameshwara's Delhi trip raises eyebrows

NT Correspondent

New Delhi: Home Minister G Parameshwara set tongues wagging on Tuesday when he landed in New Delhi to meet with the Congress high command. Parameshwara called on All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal. He is said to have discussed issues ranging from his postponed meeting with Dalit Cabinet colleagues and the potential displacement of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar from the post of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president.

In January first week, AICC general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala forced a postponement of a meeting of Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) ministers at the residence of Home Minister G Parameshwara. The reason they gave publically for the meeting was discussion on issues pertaining to SC and ST communities.

However, they purportedly wanted to scuttle Shivakumar’s CM ambitions and promote Parameshwara as the next head of government. It is also to be noted that Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi and Co-operation Minister KN Rajanna – both ST leaders – have called on the high command in New Delhi in the recent past as well.