Amid renewed speculation over leadership within the Congress government in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday said the party high command has informed him that it will summon both him and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah “at an appropriate time”.
Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar said he had been told over the phone that the leadership would decide when to call them. “They have conveyed this to us over the phone. We will go,” he said.
Asked whether the two leaders would travel together to meet the high command, Shivakumar replied that both would have to go. “Is it possible not to go there?” he asked, adding with a quip, “I will inform the media about it. Without informing you, I will not stealthily go and meet them.”
Shivakumar also confirmed that he would be in Delhi on Tuesday to attend a meeting convened by the Union Ministry of Water Resources on river interlinking. “I will attend that meeting and raise issues related to the Mahadayi project, the Krishna water award, the Mekedatu project, and the Upper Bhadra project,” he said.
He said he would meet the Union Minister for Water Resources and had sought appointments with the Union Forest Minister and the Union Urban Development Minister. “I am meeting all of them in the interest of the state. There are many issues,” Shivakumar said, adding, “If required, I will also meet the Prime Minister later.”
When asked again whether he would accompany Siddaramaiah to meet the party leadership, Shivakumar reiterated, “They have said they will call both of us at an appropriate time. We will wait for the call.”
The leadership question resurfaced on Friday after Shivakumar responded to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s assertion that there was no power-sharing arrangement and that he would remain in office for the full term.
“Chief Minister, the high command, and I are bound by a pact,” Shivakumar said, while maintaining that there had been no discussions within the party about a change in leadership.
Earlier, Siddaramaiah had stated on the floor of the Assembly that he would continue as Chief Minister for the full term. “The leadership issue is an internal matter of our party. We will follow the directions of the high command. However, I am the current Chief Minister and have completed two and a half years in office. I will continue as the Chief Minister in the future as well,” he said.
(With IANS inputs)
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
