Karnataka Power Struggle: DKS in Delhi, Siddaramaiah Meets Venugopal in Mangaluru
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Dec 3: Amidst the suspicion over each other’s move despite the bonhomie shown by the two leaders, the Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday left for a trip to Delhi “on a private visit” drawing a reaction from the chief minister Siddaramaiah that he would not travel to the national capital without a “formal invitation” from the party high command.
Mr Shivakumar, popularly known as DKS, took pains to explain that his trip to Delhi was not connected with the ongoing tussle between them over the chief minister’s post and said he would be in the national capital to attend a wedding ceremony and to discuss with the party organisation about a “Congress event” in Delhi later this month.
The statement of the two leaders came amid a tussle over the CM chair in the southern state as the Siddaramaiah-led government completed two-and-a-half years in power.
The two leaders, who recently held two rounds of breakfast meetings at each other’s Bengaluru residences this week to project unity among the party leaders, had to again face questions from the media about internal tensions, despite having demonstrated bonhomie after the meetings.
As Shivakumar headed for Delhi, Siddaramaiah left for Mangaluru to attend an event marking 100 years of social reformer Sri Narayana Guru’s meeting with Mahatma Gandhi. Congress general secretary K C Venugopal also attended the Mangaluru programme, followed by a meeting and lunch with the Chief Minister.
Before flying to Delhi, Shivakumar told reporters, “Going to Delhi today for a private function, there is no political importance to this.”
Despite Shivakumar’s clarification that his visit holds no political significance, Siddaramaiah told reporters, “Let him (Shivakumar) go. I will go only if I receive a call. I have not received a call so far.” His remarks came in response to questions about whether he would also travel to the capital. Additionally, Siddaramaiah also said if there was a direction from the party high command for a meeting in Delhi, it most likely would be conveyed through Venugopal.
Shivakumar, who is also the state president of the Congress, meanwhile, elaborated on Delhi plans, saying that he would attend a wedding and also the discussions at the Congress headquarters regarding a massive event on December 14 in Delhi’s Ramleela Maidan on the ‘vote chori’ campaign.
“On December 14, ‘Vote Chori’ event is happening in Delhi. So we are taking at least 300 workers from each district to Delhi. We have to take part in large numbers. I have told the district units to make arrangements to take them to Delhi.” Shivakumar when asked about Siddaramaiah’s lunch with Venugopal, said, “What’s wrong in CM meeting Venugopal, Rahul Gandhi or Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge?”
Shivakumar also responded to questions about his supporters raising slogans at the Mangaluru airport after Venugopal’s arrival. He asked, “What is wrong in it?” “People have been raising slogans ‘DK DK’ for the past ten years. There is nothing new in it. So, people shout ‘Modi Modi’ and some others say ‘DK DK’. There are people who shout ‘Rahul Rahul’ and some others chant ‘Siddu Siddu’. There is nothing wrong in it. With their love and affection, they raise slogans. We should take it in a supportive way,” Shivakumar said.
