DK Shivakumar on why he agreed to be deputy CM: ‘Rahul Gandhi called me’

The Karnataka logjam over the CM race between Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar ended on Thursday with DK Shivakumar agreeing to the formula that Siddaramaiah will be the chief minister with DK Shivakumar as his only deputy chief minister.

Rounds of meetings went behind the agreement while DK Shivakumar on Thursday said that ultimately Rahul Gandhi called him and said to work together. “Everything is well, everything will be well, everything is going to be well. We made a one-line decision that whatever the high command decides, we will abide by it. Ultimately Rahul Gandhi called me and said that you all have to work together,” Shivakumar said.

“Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called us and gave this diktat. We all have accepted, whatever the formula has been generated,” Shivakumar added.

Siddaramaiah reached Delhi on Monday and DK Shivakumar on Tuesday to lobby for their CM candidature. Both of them met Mallikarjun Kharge separately on Tuesday while Rahul Gandhi spoke to Kharje, KC Venugopal, Randeep Singh Surjewala on the issue. On Wednesday, both Siddarmaiah and DK Shivakumar met Rahul Gandhi. DK Shivakumar wanted Sonia Gandhi’s opinion on the matter as it was Sonia Gandhi who made him the president of the state party unit. DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah talked to Sonia Gandhi, who is in Shimla for a vacation. Sonia Gandhi asked them to speak to Rahul and Kharge.

While the decision that Siddaramaiah will be the chief minister and Shivakumar his only deputy while also leading the party was made at an overnight meeting on Wednesday, DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah met for breakfast at KC Venugopal’s residence on Thursday. From there, they travelled in the same car to Kharge’s residence — with Venugopal and Surjewala accompanying them. DK Shivakumar was reportedly convinced that he still has age on his side to become a chief minister later. 75-year-old Siddaramaiah, before the election, announced it to be his last.

The power tussle created a BJP versus Congress in the last few days with the BJP questioning the internal feud in the party. The Congress countered asking whether the BJP has found its Leader of Opposition in Karnataka. “We are proud to be spoilt for choice – BJP should instead introspect why the 6.5 crore Kannadigas have humiliatingly rejected them and PM Modi,” Supriya Shrinate said.