Who gets Home after Parameshwar?

KPCC president Dr G Parameshwar’s tenure as Home Minister terminates on Wednesday. He has already submitted his resignation and it will be forwarded to the Governor in a couple of days. Now, the Congress is in deep speculation as to who will get Home Ministry, whether the CM will keep it with him or hand it over to someone else.

According to sources, the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wanted Parameshwar to continue for some time. The reason being, other senior ministers are unwilling to take Home Ministry instead of their respective portfolios.  Now that Parameshwar has submitted his resignation and bureaucrats are already informed about it, continuing also could prove complicated. Hence CM has now asked him to step down and will forward his resignation to the Governor in a couple of days, reports Kannada Prabha.

In view of Parameshwar’s wish to hand over charges and other senior leaders unwilling to head Home Ministry, the Chief Minister is likely to keep it with him temporarily, sources say.  Siddaramaiah had actually asked PWD Minister Mahadevappa to take Home portfolio but he was not ready. K J George outright refused.

The Congress High Command had suggested the name of Energy Minister D K Shivakumar but CM Siddaramaiah does not want to hand it over to him. While names of senior leaders like Deshpande, H K Patil and others did figure in the speculations, none of them want Home as an alternative to their existing portfolio but are willing to take it as additional charges. With the elections approaching, CM does not want to give an important ministry like Home as additional charges.  

Reliable sources say the Chief Minister has two options before him. One, to keep it with him and manage with the help of advisor to Home Minister Kempaiah or two, to reshuffle the Cabinet and hand over Home Ministry to independently to one leader. We have to wait and see his move.

• parameshwar
• siddaramaiah