BENGALURU: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar meeting Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in the US has sparked murmurs in political corridors back in Karnataka.
Apart from his rivals within Congress, opposition BJP too has been targeting Shivakumar over his week-long US visit, suspecting the motive behind the tour, though the DCM has clarified that it is a personal visit.
Adding fuel to the speculation, Shivakumar posted a picture on social media platform ‘X’ of him, his wife Usha, Rahul and chief of Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda. “Wonderful catching up with Leader of Opposition @RahulGandhi in Washington D.C., along with my wife Usha,” Shivakumar posted with the photograph.
BJP National General Secretary and party Karnataka in-charge Dr Radha Mohan Das Agrawal replied strongly to Shivakumar’s post. “This man has reached to America to convince Rahul to remove @siddaramaiah from @CMofKarnataka. There’s murmuring that (?) only financed the journey of Rahul (sic),” Dr Agarwal posted on X.
Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara said, “I don’t know if Shivakumar and Rahul Gandhi have met in America. I noticed some photos on social media. He (DKS) is on a US trip with his family. Might have chanced upon meeting Rahul Gandhi in the same hotel... Can one run away? So he greeted Rahul. I don’t know anything other than that.”
KPCC OFFICE-BEARERS IN AD PANEL, BJP SLAMS GOVT
BJP slammed the state government over appointing Congress office-bearers to the Advertisement Review Committee in the Information and Publicity Department. “On what basis has the government appointed KPCC office-bearers? Are they trying to control the media indirectly,” asked Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka. He posted on social media that the newly constituted has KPCC spokesperson Ramesh Babu and KPCC secretary Ramachandrappa as members. He asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, “What eligibility or qualification do they have to review advertisement policy? Do they have any experience in this field?” He said the state government should have instead appointed a retired journalist who has experience in media or anyone who worked in the advertisement section of the Information Department.