Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, Sep 24: Former chief minister and present president of the coordination committee, Siddaramaiah has started increasing his hold on the state Congress party as well as the coalition government. This move has sidelined the DCM, Dr G Parameshwara.

This is evident from the fact that the Congress high command, as a last resort, had to ask Siddaramaiah to pacify the rebel MLAs of the party. DCM Dr G Parameshwar was not completely successful in preventing 'Operation Kamala' of BJP. The high command which took notice of this has asked Siddaramaiah to shoulder this responsibility also.

AICC president Rahul Gandhi had called Siddaramaiah to Delhi and said that the coalition government in Karnataka should not face any problems as the Lok Sabha elections are round the corner. The Congress MLAs have to be prevented from defecting to BJP and asked Siddaramaiah to take these responsibilities in coordination with the state Congress leaders.

After Siddaramaiah returned from his tour of Europe, chief minister Kumaraswamy, DCM Dr G Parameshwar, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao, working president Eshwar Khandre and minister D K Shivakumar rushed to the residence of Siddaramaiah. Only after the interference of Siddaramaiah, the rebellion of the irated Congress MLAs including the issue of Jarakiholi brothers was calmed down.

At one point in time, after the formation of the coalition government, it seemed that Siddaramaiah had lost his stature and hold in the state Congress. DCM Dr G Parameshwar tried to continue as KPCC president till the next Lok Sabha elections in order to strengthen his hold on the party. When that did not work, he tried to be the center of power for both the party as well the coalition government by becoming the deputy chief minister.

It is said that Congress MLAs were not happy with the working style of DCM Parameshwar and approached Siddaramaiah to apprise him of their grievances.

Param struggles to make his mark

In the midst of all these developments, DCM Dr G Parameshwar is trying to establish his own hold in the party as well as the coalition government. It is learnt that the developments in the Congress party, as well as the coalition government are not brought to his notice because of which he is frustrated.

According to Congress party circles, there is accusation on the DCM that his inefficiency in handling the issue of Belagavi district Congress leaders while Siddaramaiah was on the tour of Europe was the reason for the rebellion to spill out of control.