Bengaluru: In what could be perceived as a major setback for Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah the Congress party central leadership threw its weight behind KPCC president Dr G. Parameshwar and decided to nominate only party workers to the state run boards and corporations. Following this, Mr Siddaramaiah who was planning to stay back in New Delhi, decided to return to the state capital. The party is expected to announce the list of appointees in a couple of days.
Dr G. Parameshwar, who was seen as losing out to the CM at every stage after losing the assembly polls in 2013, got an upper hand for the first time in the last couple of months. He seems to have succeeded in convincing central leaders about the importance of recognising party workers’ contributions over that of legislators or defeated MLAs while making appointments to state run boards and corporations.
Speaking to media, a senior leader in the Congress disclosed that Mr Siddarmaiah tried very hard to ‘convince’ the central leaders about giving representation to MLAs and defeated MLAs, while Dr Parameshwar took up cudgels in favour of party workers.
“It looks like whatever Mr Siddaramaiah explained was interpreted as his defence to retain the CM’s post with the help of MLAs. Dr Parameshwar’s constant arguments to strengthen the party by accommodating leaders from the grassroots in these posts, won him the day,” the source explained.
The source added that Dr Parameshwar seems to have correctly gauged the mood in Delhi as they were looking at the revival of the party in the next five years. “All this while, the Congress had a set formula to accommodate maximum MLAs whenever and wherever the party came to power. But, as a consequence, the party paid a heavy price in subsequent elections,” the source added.
Now the mood seems to be in favour of party workers. “Wherever party lost elections, senior leaders have given a feedback that the “party grossly ignored” its workers when in power.
In the past, the party has also paid the price for ‘rewarding’ MLAs too much who in turn ignored their seats.
For example, in 2004, when the party faced elections under the charismatic former CM S.M. Krishna, it lost nearly 70 sitting legislators and nearly half of the cabinet ministers did not get elected.
