No party keen to have a Dalit CM in Karnataka: Narayanaswamy

Mysuru: Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment A. Narayanaswamy on Wednesday stated that no one is interested in appointing a Dalit as chief minister. "No party has commitment towards the assurances given in this regard and it has been a matter of publicity," he said. "The statements are confined to make promises during elections for political gains.

The whole discussion on making Dalit as Chief Minister is being done to carry out politics," he said. "Whenever elections are round the corner, these statements will come up and once the elections are over, the statement is conveniently forgotten, the Union Minister stated. The Congress in Karnataka had the opportunity to make Mallikarjun Kharge as the Chief Minister but it had chosen Dharam Singh for the top post in the State. Kharge was a 9-time member of Lok Sabha and minister. Though, Mallikarjun Kharge was the senior-most leader, he did not get the opportunity, Narayanaswamy said.

Later, senior Congress leader G. Parameshwar had the opportunity to become the chief minister. However, he was defeated by his own partymen in Congress. The leaders conspired and ensured his defeat, the Union Minister said. "Now, JDS is proclaiming that it will make a Dalit chief minister. They have shunted out Dalit party president. All talks are just topics of debate. None of them wants to give a Dalit the highest post," he said.