Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Amid reports of infighting in Karnataka Congress over the chief minister post and poll tickets, the party went into damage control mode on Tuesday with state Congress president DK Shivakumar and Opposition leader Siddaramaiah putting up a ‘united front’ and vowing to bring the party back to power. The state goes to polls on May 10.
Addressing the media after the Central Election Committee meeting at party headquarters in New Delhi, Siddaramaiah said that his statements in the media have been misinterpreted and brushed off reports of a tussle between him and Shivakumar.
The CLP leader asserted that though both of them are aspirants for the CM post, the aim is to defeat the BJP and bring Congress to power in Karnataka. “Yesterday (Monday), I gave an interview to one electronic media. I said in the interview that I am also an aspirant for the CM post. Likewise, DK Shivakumar is also an aspirant for the CM post. The aim of both of us is to defeat BJP and bring Congress back to power. The ground reality in Karnataka is there is a wave in favour of the Congress. BJP is going to be defeated,” the Badami MLA said.
KPCC president DK Shivakumar with party leaders Siddaramaiah and Randeep Surjewala after the Congress Central Election Committee meeting. (Photo |Shekhar Yadav, EPS)
OPINION | Dilemmas galore for top leaders in poll-bound Karnataka
“My statement in the interview has been misinterpreted. Nothing wrong in having aspirations in democracy, whoever may be the aspirant for the highest post, MB Patil is an aspirant, our Parameshwara is an aspirant, our DK Shivakumar is an aspirant… I am also an aspirant. Ultimately, the newly elected MLAs will have to elect the leader of the legislative party after the election; not now, after the election. Ultimately, the high command has to make a decision. That is what I said,” he added.
Siddaramaiah also dismissed reports which quoted him saying that the high command was not happy with Shivakumar. “I never said the high command is not happy with Shivakumar, or MB Patil, or any other leader. I said in Karnataka, there is a strong anti-incumbency against the BJP government because the BJP government is a corrupt government. Whatever has been reported in the media is totally false,” he said.
Shivakumar, who spoke after Siddaramaiah, said that he is not upset with the former CM. “I know what Siddaramaiah’s heart is. I know what my heart is. I know what your heart is. We all are one. Our aim is to bring the Congress to power,” he added. The meeting chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge along with top leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, was called to decide on the second list of candidates.
READ MORE:
Karnataka polls will be key for Congress’ revival ahead of 2024 LS polls
K’taka polls: Why Varuna is a safe constituency for Siddaramaiah
JD(S) keeps BJP and Congress on their toes
NEW DELHI: Amid reports of infighting in Karnataka Congress over the chief minister post and poll tickets, the party went into damage control mode on Tuesday with state Congress president DK Shivakumar and Opposition leader Siddaramaiah putting up a ‘united front’ and vowing to bring the party back to power. The state goes to polls on May 10.
Addressing the media after the Central Election Committee meeting at party headquarters in New Delhi, Siddaramaiah said that his statements in the media have been misinterpreted and brushed off reports of a tussle between him and Shivakumar.
The CLP leader asserted that though both of them are aspirants for the CM post, the aim is to defeat the BJP and bring Congress to power in Karnataka. “Yesterday (Monday), I gave an interview to one electronic media. I said in the interview that I am also an aspirant for the CM post. Likewise, DK Shivakumar is also an aspirant for the CM post. The aim of both of us is to defeat BJP and bring Congress back to power. The ground reality in Karnataka is there is a wave in favour of the Congress. BJP is going to be defeated,” the Badami MLA said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });
KPCC president DK Shivakumar with party leaders Siddaramaiah and Randeep Surjewala after the Congress Central Election Committee meeting. (Photo |Shekhar Yadav, EPS)
OPINION | Dilemmas galore for top leaders in poll-bound Karnataka
“My statement in the interview has been misinterpreted. Nothing wrong in having aspirations in democracy, whoever may be the aspirant for the highest post, MB Patil is an aspirant, our Parameshwara is an aspirant, our DK Shivakumar is an aspirant… I am also an aspirant. Ultimately, the newly elected MLAs will have to elect the leader of the legislative party after the election; not now, after the election. Ultimately, the high command has to make a decision. That is what I said,” he added.
Siddaramaiah also dismissed reports which quoted him saying that the high command was not happy with Shivakumar. “I never said the high command is not happy with Shivakumar, or MB Patil, or any other leader. I said in Karnataka, there is a strong anti-incumbency against the BJP government because the BJP government is a corrupt government. Whatever has been reported in the media is totally false,” he said.
Shivakumar, who spoke after Siddaramaiah, said that he is not upset with the former CM. “I know what Siddaramaiah’s heart is. I know what my heart is. I know what your heart is. We all are one. Our aim is to bring the Congress to power,” he added. The meeting chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge along with top leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, was called to decide on the second list of candidates.
READ MORE:
Karnataka polls will be key for Congress’ revival ahead of 2024 LS polls
K’taka polls: Why Varuna is a safe constituency for Siddaramaiah
JD(S) keeps BJP and Congress on their toes
