From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Oct 21: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dr G Parameshwara has welcomed the Karnataka High Court’s decision to allow the Lokayukta Police probe against BJP National Vice-President B S Yeddyurappa and others in the alleged land denotification scam in Shimoga district.
Speaking to reporters in Bangalore on Tuesday, he said it was a welcome decision from the State High Court on a petition challenging the Lokayukta Court order dismissing complaints against them in a land denotification case in Shimoga district.
Dr Parameshwara said: "I deeply appreciate the judgment. Yeddyurappa and others must bow before the law. The former Chief Minister must respect the law of the land." Justice Anand Byrareddy set aside the Shimoga Lokayukta Court order which had dismissed complaints against Yeddyurappa and his son and MLA B Y Raghavendra accusing them of purchasing land through illegal means and ordered Lokayukta Police to initiate an inquiry into the matter.
The Lokayukta Court had dismissed the complaints against Yeddyurappa and others filed by B Vinod, a Shimoga-based advocate, on the grounds that he had not availed himself of sanction from the Governor for prosecution prior to filing the complaint.
The State Congress President directed all party leaders and workers not to publicly air their personal views on matters affecting the party or the government and instead take them up within the party forum.
Referring to the statements and counter-statements issued by former minister and former Mysore Congress MP H Vishwanath and State Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, the KPCC Chief said the directive against voicing personal views in public or before the media without being authorised to do so was not in the interests of the party.
"Let all Congress leaders and workers bear in mind that all issues must be first discussed within the party fora,” he said pointing out that the Congress leaders were free to personally meet and discuss their views with him.
Dr Parameshwara clarified that the steps for appointing chairmen and members to the Boards and Corporations would be taken up after the ensuing Deepavali festival.
"I and the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will be going to Delhi to meet Central leaders and party high command soon and the list of names would be finalised based on the guidelines from the party high command,” he explained.
While priority would be given to loyal party workers, the KPCC chief said legislators and even those who lost assembly elections with a very narrow margin would be considered. There has to be a healthy balance and the legislators or those who lost elections with narrow margins cannot be totally sidelined, he said adding: ``All legislators cannot be made ministers and they need to be accommodated too.”
The State Congress President also clarified that the expansion of the Siddaramaiah cabinet will be taken up after the appointments to the Boards and Corporations.
He, however, clarified that it was wrong to blame him for the delay in the expansion of the State Cabinet on account of demand from a section of partymen to make him the Deputy Chief Minister.
"The position that should be given to me will be decided by the party high command. I would accept any role that I am asked to play,” he said.
Dr Parameshwara indicated that the KPCC would be reconstituted soon as many of the ministers have resigned their posts in the party organisation. ``We need to reorganise ourselves and streamline the party activities,” he added.