Bengaluru, Oct 10 (NationPress) Addressing the swirling speculation regarding Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's dinner gathering on October 13 for ministers and party MLAs, Karnataka's Home Minister and a prominent state leader, G. Parameshwara, has firmly refuted these claims. He clarified that the dinner's sole intention is to enjoy a meal together.

In a conversation with the press in Bengaluru on Friday, Parameshwara responded to inquiries, stating, “Hasn’t the CM previously invited us for dinner? He has done so numerous times. It’s been quite a while, and he decided to invite us again. There’s nothing extraordinary about it. While he is hosting dinner, we will be present. There’s no agenda for this dinner meeting; the only agenda is to enjoy food.”

“If there were serious discussions, that would be a different matter. However, this gathering is casual. The CM merely suggested, ‘It’s been a while, let’s dine together,’ so we will be attending,” Parameshwara elaborated.

On the subject of cabinet reshuffling, he mentioned, “You should direct that question to the Chief Minister himself. It’s his discretion to decide who should be part of the cabinet. There hasn’t been any assessment of the ministers. Such discussions occur periodically.”

When queried about significant changes anticipated in November, coinciding with Siddaramaiah nearing the midpoint of his term, Parameshwara commented, “Who indicated there would be a revolution in November?”

Regarding the secret meeting reportedly involving him along with Ministers H.C. Mahadevappa and Satish Jarkiholi, he clarified, “There’s nothing to it. I’m not sure how you interpret it. This isn’t the first time. Many times, I, Satish Jarkiholi, Mahadevappa, and others have gathered as friends to discuss matters as needed. It wasn’t a political assembly.

“Former minister K.N. Rajanna didn’t attend the meeting. We touched upon certain cabinet-related issues, which we’ve discussed before — even at the homes of Satish Jarkiholi or Mahadevappa. I haven’t made any comments, and I’m unaware of what Minister Satish Jarkiholi has said concerning the Deputy Chief Minister. He spoke in general terms,” the Home Minister stated.

It’s noteworthy that Minister Satish Jarkiholi had called for clarifying the confusion within the state Congress party.

Elaborating on election commitments, Parameshwara asserted, “We announce what the public needs during elections after understanding their expectations. Unemployment was a significant concern, which is why it was included in the manifesto. It’s impractical to accomplish everything in a day; progress will occur step by step. We pledged in our manifesto to fill 2.5 lakh vacant positions. While not all at once, we have initiated the process. After addressing the internal reservation issue, recruitment has commenced. This applies to both the police and other departments.”

“If Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promises were genuine and he had implemented them, why would we criticize him? Had he delivered on his election commitments, we’d have praised him. However, he didn’t. We announced five guarantees, and we have executed them,” he noted.

These remarks gain significance as they arise amidst discussions of leadership transitions and potential cabinet reshuffling. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has organized a dinner for Congress MLAs in Bengaluru on October 13.

Sources close to the Chief Minister have indicated that the reshuffle is set to unfold after the Bihar elections. With this dinner meeting, Siddaramaiah aims to convey a strong message that there will be no alteration in leadership.

The Chief Minister has already engaged with AICC General Secretary and Congress MP K.C. Venugopal during his recent visit to Bengaluru, asserting that he will also confer on the matter with party leader Rahul Gandhi.

As per sources, Siddaramaiah is contemplating the removal of 15 ministers and the introduction of new figures into the cabinet. He has discussed this strategy with Venugopal. Previously, when the high command requested him to drop eight to ten ministers, Siddaramaiah reportedly resisted.

According to party sources, his strategy involves conducting a significant reshuffle to indicate that there will not be a change in the Chief Minister’s role.

At the Valmiki Jayanti celebrations, Siddaramaiah also assured that a leader from the Valmiki community would receive a ministerial position during the reshuffle.