Release white paper on state finance: KPCC chief

TUMKUR: KPCC president G Parameshwar said he would accept the challenge of Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda to take part in a public debate over the allegation of misuse of  Central funds.At the ‘Yuva Sangarsha’ rally organised by the Youth Congress on Monday, he urged the chief minister to bring out a white paper on the financial status of the state government, ahead of the public debate. “Central funds to the tune of Rs 26,000 crore have been misused in 2010-11. I will ensure that I disclose what happened to the funds,” he said.Parameshwar also said that the chief minister should not forget his statement which he made at a meeting of Deputy Commissioner’s and chief secretaries, where he had confessed that about 50 per cent of the funds were being utilised.On the chief minister’s promise of a separate budget for the youth, Parameshwar urged him to allocate at least Rs 10,000 crore. He called upon the youth Congress workers to take an oath to fight corruption and caste system in the country.Cong Men Throw Weight Behind Parameshwar Tumkur: In view of rumours of change of guard in Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), Congress leaders in Tumkur, led by the DCC president S Shafi Ahmed, tried to send a strong message to the party high command to retain Dr G Parameshwar as president till the next Assembly polls. On Sunday, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna had clarified that he had no plans to return to state politics, adding that Parameshwar has been performing well as the party chief. Taking cue from Krishna’s reported statement, Shafi Ahmed at the youth Congress ‘Yuva Sangarsha’ programme here on Monday said that since Krishna himself has given a clean chit to Parameshwar, the question of change of guard does not arise. He must continue and lead the next Assembly polls, he urged. Meanwhile, former MLA K N Rajanna observed that Congress leaders of Tumkur are happy that a person from their district is leading the party. “As no veteran leader, including Krishna, Dharam Singh, Veerappa Moily and Mallikarjuna Kharge want the top post, the rumours are all media creation,” he criticised.