With a medical drip in his right hand, Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar on Monday wished Siddaramaiah the best as DKS skipped in Delhi visit citing a stomach infection. The Congress is yet to take a decision on the Karnataka chief minister but DK Shivakumar skipping the Delhi visit on Monday while Siddaramaiah has been in the Capital triggered speculations that Siddaramaiah raced ahead in the close competition and is likely to be the new Karnataka CM.
In an exclusive interview to NDTV, DK Shivakumar said he has some commitments in Bengaluru and also medical check-up. After finishing those, he will go to Delhi. Hours before, he said he will be leaving for Delhi on Monday itself.
“We should have a basic courtesy towards who helped us, who helped me to get this number…the courage, the strength..Almighty…I will offer my prayers first. Almighty has given me some other responsibilities too. I will first finish those and then go to Delhi. I have to finish my check-up. I am getting this drip (shows the injection. My family is shouting at me,” DK Shivakumar said.
On a question on whether cancelling the Delhi plan at the last moment was a rebellious plan, DK Shivakumar said, “Why should I rebel? I don’t rebel. I don’t blackmail. That’s not my culture.”
“Today is my birthday, and people are very happy, they want to meet me,” the Congress chief said.
Remembering the moment when Sonia Gandhi made him the president of the state unit of the party, DK Shivakumar said, “Sonia Gandhi told me ‘DK, I have confidence in you’…and I delivered.” “…the trust Mrs Gamndhi imposed on me with lot of odds. Some of the senior leaders supported me. Today Ahmad Patel is not there. I can’t forget what faith he kept in me,” DK Shivakumar said.
On Siddaramaiah’s claim that he has the maximum support, DK Shivakumar said he was not aware of any such secret ballot and he only has best wishes to offer to Siddaramaiah.
The Congress Legislature Party authorised party president Mallikarjun Kharge to take a call on naming the CM. The party sent three observers — Sushil Shinde, Jitendra Singh and Deepak Babaria — to Karnataka. They spoke to the newly elected MLAs and then met Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence in Delhi. They submitted their report on which Mallikarjun Kharge will deliberate with Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi with the final name to be disclosed in 24 hours.
