Davanagere, March 2 (IANS) Congress MLA Basavaraju V. Shivaganga on Sunday claimed that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar would assume the Chief Minister’s position by December.
Addressing the media in Davanagere, MLA Basavaraju Basavaraju emphasised: “You (media) can write it down—Shivakumar will become the CM by December. It will happen. If anyone wants, I can write it down in my blood. After taking charge of the government, he will perform so well that he will win the next assembly election and continue as CM for a full term.”
MLA Basavaraju Shivaganga reiterated that Shivakumar would serve as the Chief Minister for the next 7.5 years, starting from December. He further asserted that under Shivakumar’s leadership, the Congress party is expected to win the next assembly elections.
Shivakumar has contributed immensely to the party, he added, and due to his hard work, the Congress party performed well in both the state assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
“I will stand by Shivakumar under any circumstance. We are confident that the Congress high command will make him the Chief Minister. Thanks to Shivakumar’s efforts, 75 to 80 first-time MLAs were elected to the state Assembly. He is indispensable to the party. In this backdrop, we will demand that the high command grant him the top post,” he stated.
“Demanding the CM post for Shivakumar is our right. He (Shivakumar) will assume office as the CM with the support of Congress party MLAs. The high command must intervene and take action against Minister for Cooperation K.N. Rajanna, who has been making statements against Shivakumar,” he said.
Basavaraju Shivaganga also urged the party leadership to take disciplinary action against Minister Rajanna, stating that his remarks had tarnished the party’s image.
Meanwhile, former Union Minister Veerappa Moily, speaking at a party function in Udupi on Sunday, announced that no one can stop Shivakumar from becoming the Chief Minister. Moily made this statement in Shivakumar’s presence, further emphasizing that the decision to hand over the CM post to Shivakumar had already been made.
“I was the one who gave Shivakumar the party ticket to contest the MLA election for the first time. He has groomed himself into a successful political leader, and it is a matter of great joy,” Moily stated.
Moily advised Shivakumar, “Shivakumar, you must not react to anything. There will be statements against you, but you should not be concerned.”
–IANS
mka/dan