Bengaluru: On the factional divide within the ruling Congress party in Karnataka over the CM seat’s tussle mid-tenure which has caused a headache for the Congress High Command, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar maintained on Tuesday that he was working according to conscience and that he neither wants to embarrass nor weaken the party’s image on the whole. He also said that it was his duty to stand by the party workers who had toiled hard to bring Congress into power in the State.
Speaking to reporters at Kanakapura, DCM Shivakumar said, “I believe in my conscience and I work accordingly. We exist if party and party workers are there. I don’t want to embarrass or weaken my party.”
When questioned if Mallikarjun Kharge’s Delhi visit was to discuss on a possible leadership change, the DCM said, “I don’t know about it. This is a secret among 5-6 people and I won’t disclose it. CM is a senior leader and an asset to the party. He has governed for 7.5 years and he has said that he would present the next budget as well. Happy to hear that. He has also helped build the party. All of us have to collectively work towards winning in 2028 and 2029 elections in the State.”
*Won’t forget people who prayed for me during my tough times*
When Shivakumar was asked about people offering prayers and performing puja rituals for him to become the CM, he said, “More than them praying for my position, I can’t forget the people who prayed for me when I was in jail. They welcome me back when I was released from the jail. Many people came to my home and offered words of courage to me and my family. I can’t ever forget that.”
When quizzed if the people of Bengaluru South district would support him for the post of CM, DK Shivakumar said, “During the Assembly election, I had appealed to the people to vote for me and they have responded well. They have voted for our collective leadership, I won’t say they have voted just for me. Our party workers have worked harder than us.”
When asked why he made time for party workers’ election in spite of his busy schedules, the DCM said, “This is our party workers’ election. When party workers come for my election, it is not right if I don’t go for theirs’. It will be a lapse in my duty. We become strong when our party workers are strong.”
On the DCM DK Shivakumar’s loyalist MLAs visiting Delhi and attempting to lobby for him for the CM’s seat, Shivakumar said, “Those who are aspiring to become ministers have gone to Delhi. I don’t know about their efforts whether to make me CM or not. I have neither spoken to them nor sent them to Delhi. I will not even question them as to why they went to Delhi either.”
When asked if there was an agreement of power sharing mid-tenure, DCM DK Shivakumar said, “Why should I talk about it? You (media) are the ones writing a lot about it.”
