Page 5 - D K Shivakumar

Injustice to K'taka in tax devolution, we will fight it out: DK Shivakumar

Alleging that the Centre has done injustice by allocating less funds to Karnataka in the tax devolution, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday said that the Congress government in the state would fight it out. Shivakumar, also the state Congress chief, attacked BJP MPs and union ministers from the state for remaining silent on the issue and termed it "shameful." "Injustice has happened to Karnataka. They have given more to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. We were given less than even Andhra Pradesh, which doesn't contribute much in tax. We will fight and protest this in the days ahead," Shivakumar said. Speaking to reporters here, he said, "We will formulate a programme to fight for - our tax, our right". "Why have BJP MPs and Central ministers not raise their voices? Despite having five Central ministers from the state, including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, they remain silent even though injustice is happening to the state. This is shameful," he said. When pointed to

D K Shivakumar rejects reports about meeting Barack Obama, Kamala Harris

Rejecting reports that he was travelling to the United States of America to meet some top leaders there, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday clarified that it was purely a personal visit with the family. The DCM has also released to the media a letter that he wrote to AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, regarding his visit to the USA. "I am travelling to the USA (from today) along with my family till September 15. The media reports that I am meeting former US President Barack Obama and US Vice-President Kamala Harris (who is also contesting upcoming Presidential polls there) are incorrect. It is a personal visit," he clarified in a press statement. "As I have already informed (you), I will be proceeding to Washington on 8th September 2024 evening on a private visit and I will be back on 16th September 2024. This is for your kind information," Shivakumar said in the letter to Kharge. Earlier in the day, Shivakumar speaking to reporters here said he will be abroad

BJP's charges against CM are part of conspiracy, says Dy CM Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday charged the BJP with levelling allegations against the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment "scam" as part of its "conspiracy" against the Congress government. Karnataka is the biggest state for the Congress party. The BJP had never thought that the Congress would win here. So they are hatching a conspiracy against the government," Shivakumar, also the State Congress chief, told reporters here. The BJP, along with its NDA ally the JD(S), has proposed to take out next week a "Padayatra" (foot march) from here to Mysuru, to press for the resignation of the Chief Minister over the alleged scam. "Let them do whatever they want, let them take out as many marches as possible. We will also plan how to counter their campaign, Shivakumar said. The opposition BJP and JD(S) have alleged that the MUDA allotted to Chief Minister's wife Parvathi 14 sites whose value was

Demand for 3 more Dy CMs in Karnataka: CM says Cong's decision final

With the demand to have three more Deputy Chief Ministers resurfacing in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said the decision of the Congress high command is final. Some of the Ministers have been pitching for Deputy CM posts to be given to leaders from Veerashaiva-Lingayat, SC/ST and minority communities. Currently, D K Shivakumar from the Vokkaliga community is only the Deputy Chief Minister in the Siddaramaiah cabinet. "Whatever the high command decides is final," Siddaramaiah told reporters in response to a question. A section within the Congress is said to be of the opinion that statement by the Ministers seeking three more Deputy CMs, was part of a plan by Siddaramaiah's camp to keep Shivakumar in check, amid talks he might seek the CM post after two-and-half years of this government's tenure, and to counter his influence both in the government and party. Co-Operation Minister K N Rajanna, Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, Public Works Minister Satis

Cong will reply to ministers pushing for 3 more DCMs in K'taka: Shivakumar

Seemingly expressing his displeasure against ministers demanding three more deputy chief minister posts in Karnataka, state Congress President D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said the party would respond to them appropriately. Currently, Shivakumar from the Vokkaliga community is the only DCM in the Siddaramaiah-led cabinet. Some of the ministers in the cabinet have been pitching for DCM posts to be given to leaders from Veerashaiva-Lingayat, SC/ST and minority communities. "You people (media) put in news if someone says something. Why should I say no to people who are happy (by appearing in news)... Let anyone make any demand, the party will respond to them appropriately. Simple," Shivakumar told reporters here in response to a question. Asked whether there is a plan in the party to have more deputy chief ministers, he said, "You please meet Mallikarjun Kharge (AICC president) and our in-charge general secretary or ask the chief minister." A section within the Congress is said to be of

Bengaluru court grants bail to Rahul Gandhi in defamation case: Details

The City Civil Court in Bengaluru granted bail to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in connection with the Karnataka defamation case filed against him by the state Bharatiya Janata Party unit

No faith in exit polls, Cong will cross double digits in K'taka: Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday said he has no faith in exit polls and predicted that the Congress will cross double digits in the state in the Lok Sabha elections, but refrained from giving any figures. The party leaders, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress President had been claiming that the party will win 15-20 out of 28 seats in the state. "I have said that I have no faith in the exit polls. Today also, I'm saying the same thing. Someone called me just now saying that they (channels) are showing that we will get only two or three or four seats in Karnataka. We will get more than double digit, wait and see," Shivakumar told reporters here. He said, "I have no faith in exit polls and their assessment, as they don't go interior. They would have done it based on some sample size, I don't believe in it. The INDIA bloc is ready to take over the mantles." Early exit polls predicted a comfortable majority for

No animal sacrifice performed near temple as claimed by Shivakumar: Kerala

The Kerala government on Saturday reiterated that no animal sacrifice was held near a temple in the northern part of the state as claimed by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. Kerala Devaswom Minister K Radhakrishnan said that Shivakumar had made a huge allegation that animal sacrifice was performed near the Rajarajeshwara temple at Taliparamba in Kannur district of the state against him, CM Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka. "We investigated the claim and also contacted the Malabar Devaswom Board. The preliminary report we got states that nothing like that has happened in or near the temple. The Devaswom Board also confirmed it," the minister said. He said that it needs to be examined why Shivakumar made such an allegation. Radhakrishnan also said that the government was investigating whether anything as alleged by the Karnataka Deputy CM happened anywhere else in Kerala, even though according to initial reports such an incident has not occurred in

D K Shivakumar faces police case for 'bribery, undue influence at polls'

An FIR has been registered against Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for violation of the Model Code of Conduct for allegedly promising water supply in exchange of votes to residents of a housing society near here, the Election Commission said on Saturday. The matter came to light after the BJP approached the poll body seeking action against Shivakumar after a video of him seeking votes from the residents of a housing society in Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha segment was shared widely on social media platforms. Taking to social media platform 'X', the office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka said that an FIR is lodged by the FST (Flying Squad Teams) of Bengaluru against Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for violation of MCC while addressing apartment owners in RR Nagara. The FIR has been registered at RMC Yard police station under appropriate sections of the Indian Penal Code for bribery and undue influence at elections, it stated. In the video clip, Shivakumar

Shivakumar, a corrupt politician, don't need his certificate: Chandrasekhar

A day after senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar questioned the contribution made by Rajeev Chandrasekhar to the development of Kerala, the BJP leader on Wednesday hit back by saying he does not need the certificate of a "corrupt" politician who is out on bail. Chandrasekhar, who is facing off against Congress' Shashi Tharoor in the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency, said ever since he began his poll campaign, he has stated what he will do if he wins and will follow through on that. He further said in the next couple of days he would be releasing a vision document on bringing development and investment to the southern state. "Once I become an MP and a minister from here, for the next five years I will work to implement that vision document," Chandrasekhar, also the Union Minister of State for Information Technology and Electronics, told a TV channel. Regarding comments by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar against him, Chandrasekhar said everyone knows the Congress

LS polls: No BJP wave, only Congress and 5 guarantee waves, says Shivakumar

"How can Kumaraswamy and Deve Gowda field their family members from the BJP and build the JDS party?" quipped DCM DK Shivakumar

Some leaders quit Cong moment they receive notices from agencies: Venugopal

Senior Congress leader K C Venugopal on Monday said some leaders quit the party the moment they receive notices from Central investigating agencies and 'fall at the feet of BJP and Union government.' Venugopal, who is AICC general secretary (Organisation), however, hailed leaders like Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and said according to him, he defeated the alleged pressure exerted by BJP through various agencies. Citing the example of Shivakumar, he further said the Karnataka Deputy CM was a leader who had shown the courage to continue in the party despite being jailed for no reason by Central agencies. While many other leaders quit Congress when they received notices from Central investigating agencies and surrendered (before the BJP-led Union government), Shivakumar declared the Indian National Congress is his mother and he won't leave the party. "Shivakumar was sent to prison...Sent to Tihar jail for no reason. He was told that he would be freed if he was ready

Congress will decide about making me CM in future: Dy CM DK Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said the Congress will decide about making him the Chief Minister in future, bringing to the fore again the issue of leadership change. There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the Chief Minister's post after the Assembly election results in May last year, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy Chief Minister. There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational Chief Minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years but they have not been officially confirmed by the party. During a temple visit here, a priest prayed that God's blessings may be showered on Shivakumar, and he became the Chief Minister. Speaking to reporters here in Uttara Kannada district, Shivakumar, who has in the past made no secret of his ambition to become Chief Minister, amid speculations of change in guard

Tech hub Bengaluru faces severe water shortages as summer approaches

About 7,000 borewells have dried but authorities are making other arrangements, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said last week, adding there is no crisis

Karnataka didn't witness such severe drought in last 3-4 decades: Dy CM

Amid the acute water shortage in Bengaluru, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said on Monday the State had not witnessed such a severe drought in the past three-four decades. "In the last 30-40 years we had not seen such drought; though there was drought earlier we had never declared such a large number of taluks as drought-affected,", he told reporters here. "Wherever Cauvery river water has to be supplied, (it) is being done, but out of 13,900 odd borewells in Bengaluru, about 6,900 borewells have become defunct," he said. Shivakumar said the government has taken "things under its control" and arranged tankers to supply water.

No scarcity of water in B'luru, BJP created it: Dy CM Shivakumar slams govt

The Deputy CM highlighted that nearly 7 thousand borewells were running short in the city and efforts were on to address the issue

Karnataka govt's first priority is irrigation, water projects: Shivakumar

"The priority is the development of irrigation projects and filling up tanks. Other works, such as roads, will be taken up subsequently. We have already discussed this with the Chief Minister"

It was of low intensity: Deputy CM Shivakumar on Bengaluru cafe bomb blast

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said the explosion at the city's popular eatery Rameshwaram Cafe on Friday was a low intensity blast and a timer was fixed. Shivakumar along with Home Minister G Parameshwara visited the blast site and later also checked on the injured admitted at the hospital. "The blast occurred at 1 pm. It happened at Rameshwaram Cafe. A young man of about 28-30 years came to the cafe, purchased Rava Idli at the counter, placed the bag near a tree (adjacent to the cafe) and left. After one hour the blast occurred," Shivakumar said. Speaking to reporters, he said, "it was a bomb blast with a low intensity or impact. He (man) had fixed a timer for the blast to happen after one hour." The Deputy CM said the Central Crime Branch (CCB) has taken up the investigation. FSL and bomb squad have also come to the spot. "Seven to eight teams have been formed and an investigation is happening. There is no need for anyone to worry. Who (the culprit) is being ...

K'taka Dy CM calls for regaining banking legacy which has disappeared

He further urged Karnataka Bank to think about how to improve the region and to give a report to the government on what can be done regarding this, you have our full support

LS polls: Cong hopeful of winning in coastal K'taka region, says Shivakumar

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D K Shivakumar on Saturday said there are chances of his party winning this time in the coastal belt in the forthcoming Parliamentary elections. Addressing reporters, Shivakumar, who is here to participate in the state-level party convention of workers ahead of the coming Lok Sabha polls, said there is potential for change in politics, and there are visible changes in the attitude of people in the coastal areas. "We are holding the state-level convention this time in Mangaluru as we perceive chances of winning from this region," Shivakumar, who is the Deputy Chief Minister of the state, said. He said that the issues of unemployment and business stagnation in coastal Karnataka will be addressed by the ruling Congress. Shivakumar said the BJP had failed to take up development works in the region though they have been representing the Dakshina Kannada constituency for a long period. Congress has plans to introduce innovative ideas