K’taka minister resigns to focus on party duties

Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara tendered his resignation from the post on Thursday, following the party central leadership’s decision that asked him to concentrate on duties as state president.

Parameshwara said he would concentrate on the state assembly elections, scheduled to be held in April 2018. “I am grateful to the Congress high command and general secretary in-charge of the state, KC Venugopal, for reposing faith in me and asking me to continue as state unit president,” he said. “This decision has been taken by the high command after having met 18 leaders from the state, whose opinions had been sought by party vice-president Rahul Gandhi,” he said.

This is one of a series of changes the party has affected in the state unit. It appointed senior leader SR Patil, who belongs to the dominant Lingayat community, as a working president, in addition to Dinesh Gundu Rao. The party has named energy minister DK Shivakumar, a Vokkaliga leader, as the person to head the campaign committee.

Parameshwara said the intention was to build a strong team ahead of elections. However, it is significant that Congress has tried to project a broad-based coalition of social groups in its leadership. The campaign will be headed by CM Siddaramaiah, who belongs to the Kuruba caste, classified under OBC category.