The dinner meeting with SC/ST leaders, scheduled for 8 January, was postponed after the high command intervened, reportedly based on a complaint by Deputy CM and KPCC President DK Shivakumar.
Published Jan 09, 2025 | 9:41 AM ⚊ Updated Jan 09, 2025 | 9:41 AM
AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge hit out at the BJP and BRS for not keeping to their promises. (Twiiter)
Karnataka’s Home Minister G Prameshwara clarified that a dinner meeting with SC/ST leaders scheduled for Wednesday, 8 January, has been postponed and not cancelled.
He said the meeting was postponed following the intervention of Randeep Singh Surjewala, the AICC general secretary overseeing the party’s Karnataka affairs.
The scheduled meeting at a private hotel had sparked widespread speculation of a possible leadership change after March 2025, and that Parameshwara was trying to consolidate the support of SC/ST communities.
Sources told South First that the party high command intervened and convinced the minister to defer the meeting at the behest of KPCC president and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
Of late, the Congress in Karnataka has been witnessing a series of dinner meetings, apparent show of strength by leaders organising them.
The meetings sparked rumours of an impending leadership change in the government, an offshoot of a suspected high command-brokered power-sharing agreement between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, ahead of forming the government in May 2023.
Parameshwara said the now-postponed meeting was planned as a follow-up to an SC/ST convention held in Chitradurga ahead of the Assembly polls.
“We had promised to address several issues outlined in the Chitradurga resolution once we assumed power,” he said.
The minister said several demands of SC/ST communities have been fulfilled. The meeting was planned to discuss about the upcoming convention and other issues, including the reduction in central funds.
“The meeting plan was not communicated to the party high command, considering it an internal matter,” he added.
He further stated that the meeting was postponed after Surjewala contacted him over the phone and expressed his wish to attend it.
“I assured him that there was no political agenda behind the meeting,” Parameshwara told reporters.
He said that Surjewala had attended the Chitradurga convention as well.
“The AICC general secretary requested to postpone the meeting. We agreed to it. The meeting is not cancelled but will be rescheduled,” he clarified.
Incidentally, Siddaramaiah had organised a dinner meeting with SC/ST leaders, including cabinet ministers, at his official residence recently. The meeting was held when Shivakumar was on a foreign tour.
Sources said Shivakumar, who was in Delhi recently, alerted Surjewala and AICC general secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal about Parameshwara’s planned meeting.
“The high command telephoned the home minister and instructed him to postpone the meeting. The SC/ST leaders’ meeting is now likely to be held in the presence of the party high command and the deputy chief minister,” sources claimed.
Shivakumar refused to comment. He stated that there was no need to discuss it now.
Parameshwara said he was not aware about Shivakumar complaining the high command about the dinner meeting.
“I am not aware of it. There was a discussion on inviting Shivakumar to this meeting. There is nothing to hide. If we have to do politics, we will do it openly,” he said.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
