No indications from Congress high command on Cabinet rejig or leadership change: Karnataka minister

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday said there is no indication from the Congress high command regarding the Cabinet reshuffle or leadership change in the state so far.

He wanted such speculations and confusions to end, and that focus was given to administration.

Amid calls for a "Dalit Chief Minister" with senior leader and Minister K H Muniyappa as CM, he said he welcomes if it happens, as he too belongs to the same "oppressed community", but ultimately the high command has to decide on the matter.

There are speculations about the CM change in the state when the Congress government reaches the halfway mark of its five-year term in November, which is being referred to by some as "November revolution".

"I'm not aware of anything. We cannot speak about the high command's decision. Let's wait and see what they decide. Unnecessarily making statements before the media will lead to further confusion. Has anyone from the high command spoken on this till now? We don't have any information from the high command,” Parameshwara said to a question on the November revolution and speculation about the Cabinet reshuffle.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, "If there is any information from the high command regarding the Cabinet reshuffle or leadership change, we can react."

"There will be no importance to any of our statements until the high command decides and tells us...high command after considering everything, will decide...no one from the high command has told me or indicated anything about it so far. There are no such indications," he added.

Parameshwara also stressed the need for all confusion or speculation regarding the government to be put to an end, and the focus is given towards providing good administration.

"There are speculations about 2.5 years, 2.5 years power sharing, reshuffle, leadership change every day. This will lead to confusion and impact administration. To provide good administration, all of this has to stop. We will have to focus on administration as there are complaints about bad urban infrastructure, potholes, floods. We have to stop all this by focusing on administration. It is not right to be amid these confusions," he added.

On calls for a "Dalit CM", with some demanding that Muniyappa should be made the Chief Minister, the Home Minister said he will be happy if the former is made the CM, as he is capable, and they are both from the same community that faced oppression for long.

Parameshwara said, "Muniyappa was a seven times MP, it is not a normal thing. He is senior, he was a minister at the Centre. He is now minister in the state. He is capable and has the eligibility. What's wrong with that (him becoming CM)? I will be happy if Muniyappa is made the CM. We belong to the same community. We will be happy that the community has got an opportunity. The community that faced oppression for a long, if someone from that community heads the administration, won't we be happy?"

He, however, said, all this has to be decided by the high command. "After the Bihar polls, they (high command) may analyse and if the need be, they will do it."

Making a Dalit the CM has been a hotly debated matter within Congress, on and off for a long time now, and senior party leaders from the community like Parameshwara and H C Mahadevappa, who are ministers in the Siddaramaiah Cabinet, have spoken on the subject in the past.

Responding to a question on reports about Deputy CM D K Shivakumar going to Delhi in November and likely to meet Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, also CM Siddaramiah planning a visit to the national capital separately, and whether there will be any decision on leadership during their visits, Parameshwara said, "We will ultimately abide by the high command's decision".

"I don't have the ability to speak about D K Shivakumar. He is our leader and president. He is capable. Who can be compared to Shivakumar? He has capability. I can't talk about it," he added.

There has been speculation within state's political circles, especially within the ruling Congress, for some time now about the Chief Minister change later this year, citing the alleged power-sharing agreement involving Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.

However, amid talks about CM change, Siddaramaiah has constantly reiterated that he will complete a full five-year term.

Responding to a question, Parameshwara said, the Chief Minister hosting a banquet on Kannada Rajyotsava (state formation day) being analysed as a political development is not right. "I don't know what to say."