BENGALURU: Claiming that Congress workers and leaders were happy with former chief minister Jagadish Shettar quitting the party, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday remarked, “The Congress leaders and workers from Belagavi district are happy about his (Shettar’s) exit, and the MLC seat which now lies vacant after his exit will be given to a loyal party worker.”
“Shettar had joined the Congress, stating his disillusionment with the internal affairs of the BJP. He had even made big accusations against the BJP. We had accommodated him as an MLC despite his loss by 35,000 votes in the last Assembly elections. Despite BJP trying to establish contact with him for the last 2-3 months, Shettar was determined to stay in the party till a couple of days ago,” he said.
Likening the Congress to an ocean, Shivakumar said that the exit of individuals such as Shettar will not make any difference to the party. “The Congress stays unaffected, irrespective of anyone joining or leaving. There are many people looking forward to joining our party too,” he claimed.
Meanwhile, he also claimed that the I.N.D.I.A bloc will fight the Lok Sabha polls unitedly. Asked about BJP’s attempts to re-induct Laxman Savadi, Shivakumar said, “BJP is not sparing anyone, they are trying to lure everyone. We are aware of it. If we wanted, we could have done a lot too.”
CWMA to hold prelim meeting on Feb 1: DKS
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday said preparations to implement the Mekedatu project are on and a preliminary meeting in this regard will be held on February 1. After taking part in the Constitution Awareness Jatha at Anekal, he said the Cauvery Water Management Authority is holding a preliminary meeting to discuss the Mekedatu project on February 1.
“We have already asked Revenue Department officials to provide revenue land for those who will lose land for the project. Land is being identified for the same. This project will help people of Bengaluru city and farmers of the Cauvery basin area,” he said.
Further, the Bengaluru development minister said MP DK Suresh, MLA Shivanna, representing the area, and he are committed to developing Anekal taluk.
