DK Shivakumar has a message for Congress MLAs amid buzz on power-sharing with Siddaramaiah

Responding to debates and discussions among Congress party workers about a leadership change in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday, October 2, said that such statements are “damaging the party”. The discussions were reignited after Congress MLA H D Ranganath claimed that D K Shivakumar is all set to take over as CM of state and that it will happen before November. 

"No one is permitted to speak on power sharing, including Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath. I have asked Congress state working president G C Chandrashekhar to issue notice," Shivakumar told reporters in Bengaluru. 

The Karnataka Deputy CM said that there is no need to talk about this issue again since Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has informed that he will lead the state cabinet for the entire term of five years. Stating that he will toe the party line, Shivakumar asked: “Where is the discussion on power sharing? It's me who is saying this. Nothing of that sort should be discussed. There should be no question on this. Whatever Siddaramaiah has said is final. After his statement, no one should discuss it. People who are speaking on it are damaging the party. Those speaking on his or my behalf are damaging the party and are indulging in anti-party activity. This is what is have to say," said the Congress state president. 

Reiterating the party's disciplined stance, the Deputy Chief Minister said, "He (Siddaramaiah) has said that he will listen to the high command. We will obey the high command. We are the disciplined soldiers of our party. For us, the party is important, not the individual. Siddaramaiah has said he is not important but the party. We will obey what the party says. That's what we should do."

On the BJP's statement that its revolution is finalised, he said let the saffron party discuss its own revolution. Taking a swipe at the BJP, Shivakumar said let the opposition party focus on its internal squabbles. "I will give them (BJP leaders) needle and thread. Let them stitch the torn portion in the party. To a query on BJP leaders sporting RSS uniform, Shivakumar replied let them do whatever they want. "It may be of interest to you, but I don't need it. We think only about the freedom of the nation," the Deputy CM said. 

Shivakumar then questioned the BJP's commitment to secular values, referencing Mahatma Gandhi's devotional song 'Raghupati Raghav Raajaram...' 

“Can they (BJP) say Allah? Can they repeat what Gandhi had said?" He highlighted Karnataka’s state anthem, saying there is a line 'Hindu Christ Musalmana, Parsi Sikh Jainara Udyana', which the BJP leaders avoid. "Our state is a garden of peace. They (BJP) can avoid it in their heart but we have put these words in the foundation of this country. They can neither avoid it nor remove it. They have to live with it," Shivakumar said.

With PTI inputs.