Dalits need not beg to be made CM: Former mayor

Mysuru: Former Union minister MV Rajashekharan's appeal to chief minister Siddaramaiah to yield his place to dalit leader KG Parameshwara has left former mayor Purushottam flustered. Lashing out at Rajashekharan, Purushottaam said that any concerns over having a dalit CM in the state ought to be brought to the notice of the high command.
Purushottam's remarks against Rajashekharan follow the latter's request to Siddaramaiah to appoint G Parameshwara as CM in a gesture of Dalit Bhagya."It makes no sense to ask Siddaramaiah to appoint a dalit CM. Being a senior party leader, Rajashekharan knows who the decision makers in the party are; such an irrelevant statement has only caused a rift between Siddaramaiah and our community" said Purushotham.
"There are many MLAs and MPs from the Dalit community who have the potential to become chief minister. We need not beg for the post. The party should see our capability and capacity and award it accordingly. They are clever enough to know. In the next assembly election, people will decide twice and will vote," said Purushotham.
The issue of appointing a Dalit as CM of Karnataka has been simmering within the party for a while now. However, Rajashekharan's provocative remarks, made during the KPCC's observance of Rajiv Gandhi's death anniversary (May 21) have only added fuel to the fire.
Nomination papers accepted
Nomination papers of Congress candidate Dr H N Ravindra were accepted on Tuesday by the returning officer paving his way to fight the polls to the South Graduates constituency in the legislative council.
His nomination was objected to by rebel Congress candidate Y S Siddaraju on the grounds that Ravindra was booked in a case of corruption. But the Mysuru regional commissioner A M Kunjappa, who is the returning officer, set aside the objection pointing out that the candidates who are convicted are debarred from contesting the election.
Kunjappa also accepted the nomination papers of eighteen other candidates, including Siddaraju's, during the scrutiny.
The candidates can withdraw from the fray till Thursday.
JD(S) candidate K T Srikantegowda ,BJP's M V Ravishankar, former MLA and Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj and writer K S Bhagavan are among the 19 candidates in the fray.