Shivakumar not in hurry to become CM, says 'Delhi our temple, high command always provides guidance'

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said Friday he was 'not in a hurry' to take over from Siddaramaiah as the chief minister even as both of them are anticipating a call from the Congress high command to settle the matter.

“I'm not in a hurry...not hurrying anything. My party will make a decision,” Shivakumar told reporters here. “We'll go to Delhi whenever they call us.”

Shivakumar described Delhi as “our temple” and said the high command “always” provides guidance. “We may rule here, but nothing [goes] without Delhi,” he said.

Shivakumar has received support from top Vokkaliga pontiffs Nirmalanandanatha Swami and Nanjavadhoota Swami as well as the Vokkaligara Sangha. All of them have publicly asked the Congress high command to make him the CM.

“I don't want any community angle. My community is Congress,” Shivakumar said, refusing to be confined as a Vokkaliga leader. “Of course, I belong to a community and they like me. I love all sections of society - backward classes, SC/STs and minorities. Even Vokkaligas are a backward class,” he said.

Shivakumar said he wants to visit Delhi to meet MPs from the state ahead of the winter session of Parliament. “I have a lot of work (in Delhi). I need to meet MPs. They should take forward some of our projects,” he said.

On the Mekedatu project, Shivakumar said the government is awaiting a decision by the Central Water Commission (CWC). “I want to convene an all-party meeting,” he said. Shivakumar also wants MPs to mount pressure on the union government over the maize issue.

Earlier in the day, Nanjavadhoota Swami of the Spatikapuri Mutt met Shivakumar. Congress lawmakers KY Nanjegowda and Kothur Manjunath also met Shivakumar.