Bengaluru: Seeking to downplay the issue of KPCC President Dr. G. Parameshwara not attending the swearing-in ceremony of new Ministers at the Raj Bhavan here on Friday, Chief Minister Siddharamaiah on Saturday said that the KPCC Chief could not attend the ceremony as he was away in Delhi.

But when media persons pointed out that Parameshwara was very much in Bengaluru on Friday, a visibly upset Chief Minister asked the media persons to pose the question to Dr. Parameshwara.  KPCC President Dr. Parameshwara and many senior Congress leaders kept off the ceremony as they were upset with Siddharamaiah for not taking them into confidence while choosing candidates for expanding the Council of Minsters.

Dr. Parameshwara is also said to be upset with Siddharamaiah;s decision to make former Union Minster C.M. Ibrahim a MLC in the recently held by-election to the Legislative Council. The KPCC Chief had lobbied to get the seat to his close follower G.C. Chandarshekar.  

Sources said as majority of the leaders who attended Friday’s Cabinet expansion ceremony at Raj Bhavan were close followers of Siddharamaiah. Many Senior party leaders  and Cabinet Ministers, including Revenue Minister Kagodu Thimmappa and Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar kept themselves away from the ceremony.

Shivakumar was said to be eyeing the Home portfolio, but the Chief Minister chose to give it to Ramalinga Reddy.