Bengaluru, Feb 12 Strongly hinting at a possible leadership change in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday said he had met leaders at 10 Janpath, New Delhi, Sonia Gandhi's residence, and added that “time will give the answer”.
Speaking to the media in Delhi after visiting Sonia Gandhi’s residence, Shivakumar was asked whether he had met Priyanka Gandhi Vadra or Rahul Gandhi. He replied, “I have come to 10 Janpath. There is no necessity for me to disclose who I have met and why I met them. I am not ready to carry out politics standing on the street. We have met our national leadership and discussed everything that needed to be discussed. That’s it.”
“See, I am here to carry out politics. I am not here just to breathe the air in Delhi and not discuss matters with the leadership. Whatever needed to be spoken about, I have discussed. Time will answer everything,” he said.
When asked about his meeting with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party General Secretary and Congress MP K.C. Venugopal on Wednesday night, Shivakumar said, “Certainly. When I arrive in Delhi, I have to convey all matters, and all matters need to be discussed. I have discussed everything with them. It is not possible for me to discuss all the details in public.”
Shivakumar further added, “We have discussed the Assam Assembly elections and other political matters. I, senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel ji, and other national leaders met and discussed the direction in which we should work. We compared all our reports and made preparations to bring a Congress-led government to power in Assam.”
The statements by Shivakumar are likely to stir ripples within the ruling Congress party in Karnataka. The Congress insiders state that Shivakumar is appearing confident after the meeting with Rahul Gandhi.
Sources said at 10 Janpath, Shivakumar first met Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and discussed matters related to the Assam elections. Later, he met Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and is learnt to have discussed the issue of the Chief Minister’s post. Shivakumar had been seeking an appointment with Rahul Gandhi for quite some time.
Shivakumar is considered a strong contender for the Chief Minister’s post, and his loyalist MLAs have been vehemently urging the party high command to intervene and clear the confusion surrounding the leadership issue.
It can be recalled that Karnataka Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar's brother, former MP D.K. Suresh, stated on Wednesday that in Congress, priority is being given to those who joined the party from outside. In political circles, the statement is being taken as a veiled dig at Chief Minister Siddaramiah amid a leadership tussle.
CM Siddaramaiah joined the Congress party after quitting the Janata Dal (Secular) and then went on to become the CM twice. Senior Congress leaders have often targeted this fact and expressed their displeasure over the priority given to Siddaramaiah in the party, overlooking them.
Suresh also stated that he is confident that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will keep his word, hinting at a power-sharing formula.
The development took another serious turn with Deputy CM Shivakumar reiterating in Delhi that he and Siddaramaiah had spoken to each other in the presence of national leaders and that he would speak about it when the time comes.
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