‘I’ll die a Congressman’
Strap: …Home Minister Parameshwara hits back after ABVP rally row, fuelling chatter of widening cracks in Congress camp
Blurb:
“On the way, the Rani Abbakka procession was passing by. I was with local MLA K Shadakshari. They invited me to pay floral tribute. I stopped my car and paid my respects. I have not attended any ABVP event.”
- Parameshwara, Home Minister
Byline: Ravi Kiran
Senior Congress leader and state Home Minister G. Parameshwara is once again under the political microscope. A video showing him paying floral tribute to freedom fighter Rani Abbakka during a procession in Tiptur town, Tumakuru district, has stirred controversy, with critics claiming he was participating in an ABVP event.
The ABVP, a student organisation closely linked to the RSS and BJP, organised the 500th Jayanthi celebrations of Rani Abbakka, including a Rath Yatra commemorating her sacrifices.
Parameshwara, however, was quick to dismiss the claims. Speaking to the press in Bangalore, he said, “On the way, the Rani Abbakka procession was passing by. I was with local MLA K. Shadakshari. They invited me to pay floral tribute. I stopped my car and paid my respects. I have not attended any ABVP event.”
He added, “I am a true Congressman and will die as a Congressman. Political rivals are indulging in propaganda against me.”
The senior leader also hinted at internal party politics behind the controversy. “There are many adversaries both inside and outside the party. One among them is raising this. People will see through these cheap tricks,” he said.
The Parameshwara episode comes amid growing factional tensions in Karnataka Congress. The high command recently sacked senior leader K.N. Rajanna, a close aide of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, from the cabinet.
Rajanna had opposed Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, demanding more Dy CM posts and even pushing for Shivakumar’s removal as state party president. His ouster was widely seen as a victory for Shivakumar’s camp, deepening existing fault lines.
Shivakumar himself has recently courted controversy, singing the RSS anthem in the Karnataka Assembly in an attempt to “taunt” BJP leaders. The move backfired, forcing him to apologise and clarify that Chamundi Hills is not exclusive to Hindus—a statement widely seen as damage control.
These twin controversies have shone a light on the fragile state of affairs within Karnataka Congress. Parameshwara’s unintended association with the ABVP event has fuelled speculation of internal rift, while Shivakumar’s public missteps highlight the risks of high-profile antics in a party riven by factional rivalries.
Parameshwara’s seniority and stature make the controversy particularly sensitive. As an experienced politician in the state Congress and a prominent Dalit leader, he has often been discussed as a potential Chief Ministerial candidate in the event of leadership changes. Rajanna himself had suggested that Parameshwara should become CM if a new guard took over, adding fuel to ongoing factional tensions.
Political analysts note that while both incidents—Parameshwara’s floral tribute and Shivakumar’s Assembly performance—might appear minor, they expose deep fault lines within the party. The repeated surfacing of controversies involving senior leaders indicates not just personal missteps but also ongoing manoeuvring between factions ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Some say these not only spark public attention but also provide ammunition to rivals, particularly the BJP, in a politically competitive state like Karnataka.
For now, all eyes are on Parameshwara. The coming weeks will show if the controversy fizzles or sparks bigger party realignments. Meanwhile, internal rivalries, leadership battles, and political speculation continue to dominate Karnataka Congress’s narrative.