Delhi-bound DK Shivakumar’s ‘I will not backstab’ message amid Karnataka CM suspense
Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar, one of the two contenders, is scheduled to arrive in Delhi later on Tuesday, ahead of an expected announcement by the party.
Before taking a flight to Delhi, Shivakumar told reporters that he was asked by the Congress general secretary to visit the national capital alone.
“The Congress party general secretary has instructed me to come alone, I am going to Delhi alone. My health is good,” Shivakumar told reporters outside his residence before leaving for the airport.
He was scheduled to leave for the national capital on Monday evening but cancelled the travel plans citing a stomach infection.
On being asked about the chief ministerial post, the Karnataka Congress leader said, “Ours is a united house, our number is 135. I don’t want to divide anyone here. Whether they like me or not, I am a responsible man. I will not backstab and I will not blackmail.”
Congress leader Siddaramaiah, the other frontrunner for the chief minister’s post, had arrived in the national capital on Monday.
The Congress scored an emphatic win in the Karnataka assembly election with 135 seats. The results were declared on May 13.
Shivakumar, who celebrated his birthday on Monday, and Siddaramaiah had been called to Delhi by the top leadership of the AICC for a discussion.
The party’s central observers for Karnataka had on Monday briefed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on the views of the newly elected MLAs. Reports indicated that Kharge will consult Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra before announcing a final decision.
The Congress legislative party had met late evening on Sunday in Bengaluru and passed a one-line resolution empowering Kharge to pick the head of the legislative party.
On Monday, Shivakumar said all the MLAs are together and the call on the chief minister will be taken by the party’s high command.
Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah met with the top leadership of the AICC at Delhi’s Lodhi Hotel late on Monday night.
Siddaramaiah, who served as chief minister of Karnataka from 2013-2018, however, remained tight-lipped on the meeting and did not interact with the reporters.
DK Shivakumar’s brother DK Suresh arrived in Delhi on Monday evening and met with Kharge at the latter’s residence.