Karnataka: DK Shivakumar shrugs off being kept out of CM's meeting with MLAs, denies rift

Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar shrugged off being kept out of chief minister Siddaramaiah’s grievance-hearing meetings with the Congress MLAs that began Tuesday as something of little or no consequence.

The CM kicked off meeting the party MLAs to hear their grievances including scant development works in their constituencies and non-availability of ministers to discuss issues related to their constituencies. The first round of meetings, beginning with the party MLAs from Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Kodagu, Tumakuru, Hassan and Dakshina Kannada districts, came on advice from AICC general secretary RS Surjewala who held marathon meetings with MLAs and ministers in Bengaluru early this month.

While speculations swirled in political circles about the CM keeping a deliberate distance from his deputy as the latter reportedly nurses his ambition to succeed Siddaramaiah during the present term itself, Shivakumar said there was nothing wrong with the CM’s action, rejecting reports that he was displeased over the development.

“The CM is holding a meeting with the MLAs within his powers. What’s wrong with that?” Shivakumar said in a chat with mediapersons.

“Surjewala has flagged many issues to the CM after interacting with the party MLAs. The CM is holding a meeting to hear these grievances. There is nothing wrong with it, and I have no objection,” the Dy CM said.

There were expectations that Shivakumar would be part of the exercise as he was also the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).

He rejected the Opposition BJP’s charge that the CM has neglected his deputy and said the BJP must first focus on clearing the mess within the party. There have been unending internal fights and friction between the leaders which the BJP must first focus to sort out, he said.