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Bengaluru, Nov 21 (IANS) Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is a senior leader and whatever he says should be heard by the juniors in the party with respect and humility.
Shivakumar said, “We never said that the Chief Minister will not stay for five years. He himself has said that he will stay for five years. When the elders speak, we juniors should listen with respect and behave politely.”
He said that none of us questioned the powers of the Chief Minister, claiming that it was he who had talked about the cabinet reshuffle.
On meeting Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Shivakumar said that one should not make unnecessary speculations, adding that if the Congress party needs advice or guidance from senior leaders, he will meet him.
He said, “Mallikarjun Kharge is our leader, the president of our party. It is our duty to meet him when he comes. Even though he is from our state, we should respect his seniority and his position.”
Asked whether too much confusion has been created, Shivakumar said there is no confusion, this confusion is only for the media.
“There is no confusion between the Chief Minister and me. Siddaramaiah has said that he is committed to the instructions of the AICC leadership. We have already said that we are committed to it. So where is the confusion?”
He also said that the process of declaring the candidate for the Legislative Council Graduate constituency has started.
He said, “I have also discussed the selection of the chairman and vice-chairman of the council.”
Shivakumar said that Congress has announced the list of 369 wards in Bengaluru. “I also visited Bengaluru Central Jail on Friday and met our MLAs. They have been jailed for political reasons,” he said.
Shivakumar earlier visited Bengaluru Central Jail and gave words of courage to Congress MLAs Vinay Kulkarni and Virendra Pappi. Congress MLAs Vinay Kulkarni and Virendra Pappi have been kept as undertrial prisoners.
Earlier, following the visit to Delhi of a group of ministers and MLAs reportedly demanding leadership change in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he would remain the chief minister and present the state budget for the remaining tenure of the government.
–IANS
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