Karnataka’s former deputy chief minister and senior leader Dr G Parameshwara told News18 that he is “definitely” in the race to become the chief minister if the Congress is voted to power with full majority in the forthcoming Karnataka assembly elections.
In an exclusive conversation with News18, the senior Congressman said he feels that after having served as the second in command to then chief minister Siddaramaiah in 2013, the natural progression towards the CM’s seat would be his.
Taking on the BJP Karnataka unit chief Nalin Kumar Kateel’s comment on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi calling him impotent, Parameshwara said the statement showed “how low the BJP could stoop to win an election.”
Stating that the Congress has been adopting a new strategy in the upcoming election to ensure a handsome win, Parameshwara also observed that the Karnataka Congress had turned complacent in the 2018 assembly polls. He stressed the need to choose winning candidates but also those who would not switch to another party in case of a hung assembly.
Read below the detailed interview:
Q: BJP state chief Nalin Kumar Kateel has made a statement calling Rahul Gandhi impotent. How do you react to this?
A: It is unfortunate that in Indian polity, and, particularly, in Karnataka, we have come to such low levels of expressions which are not relevant in terms of state development or people’s issues. All of us have to keep one thing in mind that personal issues or attacks are irrelevant in terms of people’s requirement. I, personally, do not attach so much importance to all this. Having said that, the president of the state unit of a national party talking about Rahul Gandhi’s personal issue shows how low they (BJP) can stoop to win an election. I don’t know who buys these kind of stories. People don’t want these kind of things. Whether I say it or Nalin Kumar Kateel says it, it does not give us any respect in public life and I don’t think these kind of debates should happen in polity.
Q: What is the reason behind such statements that are being made?
A: They want to cover up something. They want to shift the attention of the people to something else. Number one, they (BJP) have been very corrupt. This is the most corrupt government that we have seen in Karnataka or in any state in recent times. Then, they have been in power for four years, what development has been done? Have they completed a project of importance? For example, Kalasa Banduri is an important project for North Karnataka. If only Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had even started the project, even though he is from that area. Instead they are now shifting people’s minds on issues or cheap talks by making personal attacks or saying something about Tipu Sultan, etc. They are doing this to cover up their failures.
Q: We know the Congress does not announce the name of a CM candidate before elections. But statements have come from you that apart from 10 other candidates, who aspire to be the CM, you are also running for the post?
A: Any party has to get the majority. All of us, be it DK Shivakumar or Siddaramaiah or myself or other leaders, our fundamental objective should be to bring that number 113. Then we can all fight.
Q: Do you want to be the CM?
A: Of course, I do. I never said no. But it must be decided by the 113 MLAs first and then the high command. You know very well how a CM is made in our party. After the majority, they will call for a CLP meeting and then somebody from Delhi will come and they will discuss, and see the majority of the legislators and then take a decision based on who can deliver governance. In that race, obviously, I have put 35 years in my political career. When you have been a deputy chief minister, naturally, the next step would be, for anybody who has been in this position, to become the chief minister. Again, I repeat, we must get the majority and all of us have to collectively fight this election.
Q: With the tug of war between DK Shivakumar or Siddaramaiah and you for the CM face, isn’t it confusing for the voters as well?
A: We all have been saying that it will be decided only after the majority. If you ask me if I am in the race, yes I am. That does not mean that I am already fighting to be the CM. It comes only after getting the majority. People’s exaction is totally different; their perception is totally different. They want a party that will give them good governance. We are not preparing the manifesto; we must deliver the promise we make. We did that in 2013, we could not do much as we were in a coalition in 2018 which only lasted 14 months. But, now, we are going to promise that if the people give us the majority we will deliver. The Congress will definitely look for that person who will deliver those promises.
Q: What kind of impact do you see with Mallikarjun Kharge touring across Karnataka as part of the run-up to the elections?
A: Kharge is a tall leader and now that he is the president of All India Congress Committee (AICC), naturally, people look at him in a different perspective. His presence or touring will impact generally, but, particularly, he being a Dalit will help.
Q: You have said the Congress needs to learn from the earlier mistakes, especially after several of its leaders jumped to the BJP. When you are deciding on the candidature you said it would be analysed carefully. So, are you saying mistakes will not repeat?
A: Winnability is the criterion, but after winning, we will also have to see who will run away from us and who will not. It is important that they should not cross sides. That is also one of the factors that we are looking into more seriously this time. After the results, in case, there arises a situation where it is a borderline case to get the majority, we will have to see who will stay with us.
Q: What is being done to hold Congress MLAs back in case of horse trading?
A: We will see. We will look into various factors, whether he is a sincere Congressman, a loyal one, who will not easily cross over to the other side.
Q: Once the MLAs win the election, the decision to jump the party is theirs, isn’t it?
A: We will have to give tickets to such people who will not (cross over).
Q: Will the Congress strategy change election to election, state by state?
A: With the page of time, things have changed. It was different in Karnataka in 2018 and 2013. Both times, I was the state Congress president. Both elections were different. Our strategy also was totally different because we were in the power. We had given so many good schemes, development was also at its peak. Despite that, we lost. Our strategy did not work as we became complacent and we had given the Bhagya schemes. In 2018, we had become too complacent that is why we lost. This time, it’s will be different and we will not be complacent about anything. We are now in the war field and we have to apply a strategy, cash in on BJP’s failures and ask people not to waste their votes on JDS as it is not coming to power on their own any time soon. By electing an MLA from the JDS, how is it going to help forming a government? They have not been able to form a government for so many years. Naturally, we are appealing to give us an opportunity to deliver good and stable government. Political stability is very important.
Q: What do you think of BJP giving BS Yediyurappa more charge and powers now, after asking him to step down as the CM?
A: It is an election strategy. We are not kids, we can understand. He represents a very big and important community in Karnataka, the Veerashaiva. Naturally, the BJP cannot throw him away at this time as he is a strong leader of the community and they need him.
Q: Are they using him (Yediyurappa) only for the election is what you are saying?
A: I think so. Just wait and see after the elections. There are so many people including Advaniji who have been thrown out, today he is nowhere.
Q: On what issues this Karnataka election is being fought?
A: I feel it is about people’s issue. One, the younger generation want employment and their lives to be settled. Nowadays, there are a large number of literates and youngsters who want their lives to be settled, their needs have to be taken care of and women participation has increased. You are seeing Anganwadi, Asha, health workers on strike every day, why? Because you are not able to take care of them. Women must be given 50% reservation in local bodies. Lakhs of womenfolk are tearing the local bodies and that is a change and an extraordinary factor. The third factor is investment and industry development.
Q: We have seen when it comes to representation in the assembly, the number of women MLAs is just 9 or 10. Is the Congress planning to give more tickets to women this time?
A: Yes. I am in the screening committee as well. We are looking at women who can definitely win elections. Even if they don’t, those women who can even fight an election, not fight and lose their deposits but put up a tough fight. Wining is a criterion, but if a woman can fight an election, may be, next time, she may win the election, we are looking at these factors and considering more women candidate this time.
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