Bengaluru

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara on Saturday downplayed the controversy surrounding the allocation of portfolios in the newly constituted Congress government, expressing confidence that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and the party leadership would address concerns raised by senior leaders Ramalinga Reddy and K.H. Muniyappa.

His remarks came as the Congress sought to contain internal dissatisfaction following Ramalinga Reddy's announcement that he would step down from the Cabinet over the distribution of portfolios, while senior leader K.H. Muniyappa also publicly expressed displeasure regarding the departments assigned to him.

"The chief minister and the state Congress president will take care of the matter. There is no major issue. They know how to handle it," Parameshwara told reporters.

He noted that Shivakumar had already initiated talks with Reddy and indicated that further discussions were likely.

"The chief minister has already met him, and the newly appointed party president will also engage with him," he said.

Asked whether the developments could provide the opposition with political ammunition ahead of upcoming elections, Parameshwara described such disagreements as a normal part of political life.

"These situations are not uncommon in politics. Our responsibility is to resolve them and move ahead. The chief minister has emphasised that our focus should remain on delivering good governance, and that is what we intend to do," he said.

When reporters pointed out that Shivakumar's efforts to persuade Reddy had not produced an immediate breakthrough, the deputy chief minister noted that the two leaders had held an extensive discussion.

"They had a very long meeting. The chief minister will meet him again," he added.

Responding to questions about K.H. Muniyappa's reported dissatisfaction, Parameshwara dismissed suggestions of a serious rift within the party.

"There is no issue with Muniyappa. Yesterday, when all of us were together, Rahul Gandhi personally asked him if there was any problem, and Muniyappa replied that there was none," he said.

Speaking about his own responsibilities as Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister, Parameshwara said he had already begun reviewing the functioning of the Revenue Department and would soon unveil a roadmap outlining priorities for the next two years.

"Yesterday itself, I held a meeting with officials of the Revenue Department for nearly two to three hours. I will soon present our future plans, the goals we intend to achieve and the timelines within which we hope to deliver results," he said.

Acknowledging the limited time available before the next electoral cycle, he stressed the importance of focused governance.

"Two years is a very short period. We have to identify what can be done through the Revenue Department to benefit the people of Karnataka and work towards achieving those objectives," he said.

Parameshwara also commended his predecessor, Krishna Byre Gowda, for introducing several reforms in the department.

"Krishna Byre Gowda has done commendable work. He brought in several changes, introduced new laws and regulations, and implemented initiatives that were among the first of their kind in the country. Those efforts should be carried forward," he said.

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The Deputy Chief Minister added that the government would pay special attention to issues such as recruitment and promotions, addressing farmers' concerns at the taluk level, safeguarding land rights and ensuring that citizens receive the benefits and entitlements due to them.