Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday warned that notices would be issued and disciplinary action taken against those party leaders who publicly speak about the change of the Chief Minister or creation of additional posts of Deputy Chief Minister.
Speaking to reporters at his residence, Mr. Shivakumar, who is also Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, said, “Anyone issuing public statements on the change of Chief Minister or Deputy Chief Minister will face disciplinary action from the AICC and the KPCC. Discipline is paramount for the party. We have worked hard to bring the party to power, no one should shoot their mouth off on this issue.”
‘Work for party’
Soon after returning from Delhi, Mr. Shivakumar said, “AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and I held a meeting in Delhi and decided that everyone has to work for the party. Ministers, MLAs, and swamijis should not speak about party matters.”
This statement comes in the backdrop of Vishwa Vokkaligara Mahasamsthana Mutt seer Chandrashekhara Swami publicly asking Mr. Siddaramaiah to give up his post to Mr. Shivakumar, during Kempe Gowda Jayanti celebrations recently. Prior to this, a few Ministers, particularly K.N. Rajanna, had been demanding the creation of additional posts of Deputy Chief Minister to give representation to other communities, in a move to undermine Mr. Shivakumar, who is currently the only one in the post and belongs to the Vokkaliga community.
On Saturday, when asked if there was a discussion with the high command on the issue of the change of Chief Minister or creation of more Deputy Chief Minister posts, Mr. Shivakumar said, “There were no discussions with the high command on the matter. The high command will evaluate my performance and take a suitable decision. Let’s put an end to these speculations.”
Asked about some party men seeking the creation of more posts, he said, “I don’t know about that. It would be better if everyone zips their mouth.” On swamijis interfering in politics, Mr. Shivakumar said, “Swamijis usually don’t interfere, this is the first time he has spoken. My sincere request to all the swamijis is to leave politics for politicians.”
Asked about a purported discussion between the Chief Minister and the Home Minister that the swamiji’s statement was “planned”, the KPCC chief said he does not know about any such conversation.
‘I will respond’
Meanwhile, an unrepentant Mr. Rajanna, when asked about Mr. Shivakumar’s warning, said, “Let a notice be served, then I will respond.... If at all, everyone should keep quiet, not just me. I alone cannot be asked to shut up.” He went on to ask how anyone can be expected to keep quiet when the issue of change of Chief Minister was being discussed.
Senior leader and MLC B.K. Hariprasad told reporters that the demand for more Deputy Chief Ministers was largely following the less-than-expected results for the Congress in the parliamentary polls. “Both Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar have failed to win a majority of the Lok Sabha seats in the State,” the MLC argued.
Meeting with FM
On the meetings in Delhi, Mr. Shivakumar said, “We had a meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman along with all the MPs from Karnataka. In the two-hour-long meeting, we discussed the progress of the State, pending projects in the State, and justice in devolution of taxes for the State.”
The delegation also called on Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and discussed bottlenecks for various national highway projects in the State.
