‘Must snatch power’: D K Shivakumar’s loaded S M Krishna tribute creates buzz

Belagavi: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar turned the clock back with a passionate tribute to his political mentor S M Krishna on Thursday, but he might have foretold his own future while doing so.

At least that is what lawmakers thought after listening to Shivakumar -- a chief ministerial aspirant waiting for his turn to take up the state’s top job -- recalling how Krishna formed his government in 1999.

Shivakumar said Congress, under Krishna’s presidency, came to power in 1999 after a successful Panchajanya campaign.

“It was me who drew up the list of ministers along with their portfolios. The list was sent to the high command. But when the final list reached Raj Bhavan, my name and T B Jayachandra’s name were missing! Only nine names made it to the list. Newspapers said I’d become the CM’s political secretary,” Shivakumar said.

“Then, I called up an astrologer named Dwarakanath. He told me that if I wanted power, I must snatch it (oddi kitkobeku),” Shivakumar said.

Shivakumar said he and Jayachandra went to see Krishna. “I told (Krishna) that I had stood by him, helped him become a Rajya Sabha member, made him Karnataka Congress president...I said he can’t run a government without me. I told him that he can’t be sworn in without me. Jayachandra is a witness to this,” he said.

The scheduled swearing-in ceremony was halted, a new list of ministers prepared and Shivakumar became a minister.

Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka was quick to pick on the nuance: “Will this happen now? Will you snatch power to become the CM? When is that going to happen?”

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was not present during this exchange.

A smiling Shivakumar listened as Ashoka twisted the knife. “I know what your astrologer has told you. I know with whom you consult. The astrologer has said that Shivakumar must become the CM before January-end, otherwise it’d be difficult. Your stars are faulty thereafter. So, when will you snatch it? Do it soon,” Ashoka said.

Ashoka even warned Shivakumar against any delay. “When H D Deve Gowda and S R Bommai fought, Ramakrishna Hegde benefitted. Be warned,” he said, referring to the possibility of someone like AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge becoming the CM.

Shivakumar said his astrologer had provided guidance when Krishna was elected to Rajya Sabha and became the Karnataka Congress president. “When I was a nobody, the astrologer told me when I’d become an MLA and a minister. He even told me that I won’t get a ticket once,” he said.

“If I reveal what my astrologer said,” Shivakumar told Ashoka, “then 25-30 BJP MLAs and a few from JD(S) will join Congress. So, I don’t want to disclose it.”