Karnataka Power Tussle: In yet another episode of claims and rebuttal over the Karnataka power struggle, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar brushed off rumours of a rift with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Shivakumar, on Sunday, addressing rumours over the leadership tussle, said that he and CM Siddaramaiah work together like brothers and called the rift reports a ‘creation of the media and the Opposition'.
Responding to a question regarding his meeting with former minister KN Rajanna, who is perceived as a close aide to CM Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar said that his relationship within the party remains strong and professional, as he addressed reporters.
“Aren’t the CM and I working like brothers? I don’t have differences with any Congress leader," he said. “He is close to me too. I was the one who made him president of Apex Bank during SM Krishna’s tenure. We are colleagues; it was simply a courtesy call”, Deputy CM said on a question regarding Rajanna.
Shivakumar Claims Steady Relationship With Siddaramaiah
Further speaking on the rift claim, Shivakumar said his relationship with Siddaramaiah remained steady for the last 16 years after Siddaramaiah joined the party.
Delhi Meeting ‘Not Political’: Shivakumar
Clearifying what his Delhi meeting was about, Shivakumar said that his meeting in Delhi was not political but was for the upcoming high-level meetings in the Capital. Shivakumar said, during his upcoming meeting, he intends to discuss metro funding, as he demands a 50 per cent grant for Bengaluru Metro projects, arguing that the current 12-13 per cent is insufficient.
Shivakumar is looking forward to a meeting with the Union environment minister regarding the Mahadayi and Yettinahole projects.
Talking about the letter written by senior party leader VR Sudarshan to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge regarding party “confusion", Shivakumar dismissed the interpretation and said BJP is projecting its own ‘internal mess’ onto Congress.