Emerging dalit leader and Karnataka Home Minister, G. Parameshwara, seen by many as the dark horse in Chief Ministerial race amidst speculations, claimed on Wednesday that he is a 'disciplined soldier' of Congress and whenever an opportunity came from the party he delivered honestly.
The statement comes amidst speculation that he may be made the Chief Minister in case of the growing legal troubles of CM Siddaramaiah. The rumours have gained weight after Parameshwara met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on August 23.
However, Parameshwara refuted the speculation saying, "The question of me becoming the Chief Minister does not arise at all…That question won't arise and I will not answer any such question," he stated. Later, he said at a different meeting that Rahul Gandhi had spoken to him separately and it was true. "But the subject matter can't be speculated by the media. I am also Congress' disciplined soldier. Whenever the party gave me an opportunity to work, I did it with full honesty. Rahul Gandhi has spoken to me about the matters of the party. "No discussion as such did take place.
He spoke on the prosecution pending before the court against CM Siddaramaiah and said, "We are hoping that the court in any way won't consider the Governor's decision because no material is there to substantiate. There is nothing to prove CM Siddaramaiah's involvement such as his signatures, orders, involvement and his name is not there in the registration. When this is the case, the court will observe all this and give its verdict."
"We will stand with CM Siddaramaiah as the high command has announced. The development can't be predicted. The high command is of the opinion that once the court's decision comes, the future course of action would be discussed," he said.
To a question on the Congress government approaching the Supreme Court against the Governor for sending back 11 bills, Parameshwara said, "The legal team is verifying on approaching the Supreme Court regarding the sending back of 11 bills by the Governor. We will have to see about that. We will first send the bills back to the Governor with the clarifications he had sought. If he does not agree, then we have to approach the President with regard to that matter also."
When asked whether the Governor will heed to the demands of the Congress party, Parameshwara said, "It is a different matter whether the Governor will oblige the demands of the Congress party. There is a need to organise the agitations … Tomorrow one might say that if the legislators had to meet and brief him about the situation, he would have taken a different call. We want to explore the opportunity as well."
Answering a question on BJP planning to stage protests at the national level, he said, "If they are planning a national level agitation, then we will also have to organise the protests at the national level. The high command will decide whether the Congress party alone is going to stage the agitation or it will be staged through the INDIA bloc. If BJP takes it to the national level, we will also certainly do it."
On the land allotment by the Karnataka Industrial Development Board to Minister for RDPR and IT and BT Priyank Kharge, Parameshwara said, "Let the Governor examine the complaint and if there is anything against the law, let him take appropriate action. The application was submitted for the land allotment for a project. Anyone can make the submission after coming up with a company, project report and investment. The land will be allotted.
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