Followers of Congress leader G. Parameshwara raised slogans describing him as the “future Chief Minister’’ at a function in Suttur on Thursday.
Mr. Parameshwara had called on Suttur seer Shivaratri Deshikendra Swamiji and interacted with him when some Congress workers raised the slogans. Mr. Parameshwara appealed to them to desist from raising such slogans and later told mediapersons that his visit was to commiserate the recent demise of the seer’s mother and nothing political should be construed out of it.
In reply to a question on whether he was also in the race for the post of Chief Minister, he said the elections were still two years away and the focus should be on dethroning the BJP and ensuring the victory of the Congress. “I will speak on whether I am in the race or not when the time comes.”
Mr. Parameshwara also appealed to the MLAs not to project any leader as the “CM face” of the Congress. Calling for an end to the debate on the issue, he said it is true that some MLAs have aired their views but the Congress has its own convention of selecting the Chief Minister and it is for the high command to decide based on the feedback of the MLAs.
The rank and file of the Congress of late have been projecting their respective leaders as the “next CM’’ of the State. Though the leaders have been directed by the party high command to rein in their supporters, the issue continues to gain traction.
