G Parameshwara's elevation as deputy CM revives Karnataka Congress power tussle memories

G Parameshwara’s elevation as deputy CM in DK Shivakumar’s govt in Karnataka has revived memories of tussle at the top because of Congress’s long history of competing centres of authority in the state. During Siddaramaiah’s second stint as CM, Shivakumar served as deputy CM and was seen by many as a parallel centre of authority. A similar dynamic played out during Siddaramaiah’s first tenure between 2013 and 2018. Then, Parameshwara, as Karnataka Congress president, would wage a prolonged battle with the CM over appointments and organisational control of the party. But relations between the two veterans improved considerably after the Congress-JD(S) coalition govt collapsed in 2019. During Siddaramaiah’s second stint as CM, Parameshwara emerged as one of his key supporters. This time, Parameshwara, aprominent Dalit face, was a contender for CM’s post and his elevation as deputy CM iswidely seen as a move to pacify him and to balance caste and factional factors. Parameshwara, along with others, had consistently backed Siddaramaiah’s continuation as CM whenever Shivakumar’s supporters pushed for a change. “Unlike many ambitious functionaries, he is known to avoid open confrontation and has rarely pursued aggressive factional politics like Siddaramaiah or Shivakumar,” said MN Patil, a political commentator. “It is true I wanted to be CM. But, as disciplined soldiers of the party, we must abide by decisions of the high command. This position is not a demotion. The party provides opportunities for different people to lead. This time, it has picked DK Shivakumar,” he said.