'No scope for individuality in party', Karnataka DyCM Shivakumar warns warring leaders

Bengaluru, March 28 (IANS) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday said that there was no scope for individuality and all the party leaders had to work towards victory in the Kolar Lok Sabha constituency.

He said this a day after a minister and five legislators threatened to submit their resignations if the Kolar ticket was given to Chikka Peddanna, son-in-law of Minister K.H. Muniyappa.

Speaking to reporters at his Sadashivanagar residence here, Shivakumar said, “There is pressure from candidates for the ticket in Kolar. It will be discussed in a meeting with the Chief Minister. No one will resign from the party over this.”

Asked about the star campaigners from Congress, he said, “AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge is from Karnataka itself. We have requested Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to visit Karnataka. Considering they have to travel across the country for campaigning, we can’t expect them to spend too many days in Karnataka.”

Asked about taking on BJP and JD(S) in Bengaluru Rural constituency, he said, “We have fought many elections against the Deve Gowda family. We have got a woman elected against Deve Gowda. I have faced Kumaraswamy in an election. Suresh had won an election against Anita Kumaraswamy, who was the joint candidate of BJP and JD(S). We defeated Anita Kumaraswamy by a huge margin even when I was not a minister in the previous Siddaramaiah government. People have been supporting us ever since.”

Replying to a query on preparations for elections in Bengaluru Rural parliamentary constituency, he said, “It is not about election work, Suresh has been in the service of the constituency every single day. During Covid, the Union government did not even allow the body of Union Minister Suresh Angadi to be brought to his native place. On the other hand, D.K. Suresh purchased fruits and vegetables from farmers and distributed them to the people of the constituency. He gave medical kits to people. He even conducted last rites of the victims wearing a PPT kit.”

Replying to a question on BJP fielding Govind Karjol from Chitradurga, he said, “Let them field anyone, we have fielded Chandrappa. BJP has refused tickets to sitting MPs and ministers and it clearly shows that BJP has weakened in the state."