Deputy CM Shivakumar not ‘bande’ but ‘rail engine’, says Congress leader B K Hariprasad

Bengaluru: Veteran Congress leader B K Hariprasad on Monday took refuge in metaphors to explain the ongoing power tussle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar.

"D K Shivakumar is the state Congress president. So, instead of calling him “bande”, call him a “rail engine” as he drags the party forward. Whenever the train approaches the platform, it makes a noise, and everything calms down after the train departs.

Similarly, there is a buzz and noise when Shivakumar arrives, and things settle down once he leaves. So, if there should be a leadership change, only Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi can decide. The rest all need to wait and watch," he said during a press meet.

When reporters pointed out that CM’s son-MLC Yathindra was making statements on the power-sharing row, Hariprasad said, "Both Siddarmaiah and Shivakumar are rail engines. They are on the same track. Siddaramaiah leads if it concerns the government, and Shivakumar will take the lead in party matters."