DKS refutes reports that he is upset

Congress leader D K Shivakumar, considered the party’s go-to-man during a crisis, is said to be upset over not being nominated for the post of deputy chief minister.

The Congress has nominated Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G Parameshwara, a Dalit, as deputy chief minister. Parameshwara will take oath along with JD(S) state president and chief minister-designate H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday.

Hours before the oath-taking ceremony, Shivakumar said: “The party has nominated Parameshwara for deputy chief minister’s post. He’s been party president for eight years. Many have been sitting with their mouth open for that post, but I’m not one of them. I’m not a sanyasi nor will become one. I’m a politician. The auspicious time has to come and we have to have the right calculation.”

Shivakumar also told reporters that he was loyal to the party and that he would accept whatever responsibility came his way. “I don’t need it (post of deputy chief minister). All is well,” he added.

Shivakumar has been busy accommodating Congress legislators who are camped at a hotel in the city. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who will arrive in the city to participate in the oath-taking ceremony, are slated to head to the hotel and interact with party MLAs.

“Shivakumar was hoping to take oath as deputy chief minister along with Kumaraswamy. He was also promised the post of KPCC president. However, the high command has asked him to give up his aspiration to become deputy chief minister for now, while he is likely to be given the KPCC chief’s post,” a close aide of Shivakumar told DH.

Another reason could be the fact that Kumaraswamy and Shivakumar are Vokkaliga leaders, and having a Vokkaliga chief minister and a Vokkaliga deputy chief minister will send a wrong message to other communities.