BENGALURU: Facing the heat from the Income Tax department and Enforcement Directorate, Water Resources and Medical Education minister D K Shivakumar is prepping his cabinet colleagues to stand by him. On Thursday, the senior Congress minister hosted his cabinet colleagues along with KPCC working president Eshwar Khandre for a breakfast meeting. The absence of Congress Legislative Party leader Siddaramaiah, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao and minister Ramesh Jarkiholi was stark.
While sources close to Siddaramaiah said that he was not invited, Ramesh is said to have conveyed to Shivakumar that a prior commitment was keeping him busy. Shivakumar, anticipating possible arrest by central agencies, is said to be mustering the support of his cabinet colleagues in case of adversity. While the party, as well as the leader himself, believe that arrest is not easy, preparing for the worse seems to be the idea.
“The Congress won’t take it lightly if Shivakumar is arrested. But then, if he is jailed, he will have to resign from the cabinet,” said a Congress leader. While the party high command has asked state leaders to back Shivakumar, the minister is also looking to mobilise support from the cabinet in case he needs it to suggest his replacement.
Questions were raised about Siddaramaiah’s absence at the meeting but the Congress, as well as Shivakumar, claimed that the meeting was for ‘ministers only’. “We cannot invite everyone at all times. When required, he will be around,” Shivakumar said.
Shivakumar, according to his associates, is attempting to bridge the gap between the ministers and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy. Apart from Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, Shivashankar Reddy, R V Deshpande, Priyank Kharge and Krishna Byregowda, ministers like Jayamala, Zameer Ahmed, K J George, who are said to be Siddaramaiah loyalists, were also present in the meeting.