MANGALURU: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday, responding to media queries, made a remark by saying that Yathindra Siddaramaiah was the “only high command” for the party and that whatever he said would be accepted with the utmost respect.
On his arrival at Mangalore International Airport to attend a party programme in Puttur, responding to media query on Yathindra's remarks that 'High Command has already given instructions and clarified that there is no change in leadership and he believes his father(Siddaramaiah) only will remain the CM for the 5 years', DK Shivakumar said, "Yathindra only is our High Command. Whatever he tells we will accept with utmost respect. Let us accept that Yathindra only is our high command," he said sarcastically.
On his arrival at Mangaluru International Airport to attend a party programme in Puttur, DK Shivakumar, responding to a media query on Yathindra’s remarks that the high command had clarified there would be no change in leadership and that his father, Siddaramaiah, would remain Chief Minister for five years, said sarcastically, "Yathindra only is our High Command. Whatever he tells we will accept with utmost respect. Let us accept that Yathindra only is our high command."
To another media query on MLA Basavaraju V Shivaganga appealing the high command to make its stand clear whether there was any power-sharing deal and any discussion on leadership change, D K Shivakumar retracted and said, "I do not want to react on remarks of either Basavaraju or Yathindra. Ultimately, those in New Delhi only have to react to it."
He said that he will complete 6 years as KPCC President on March 10 and by then he intends to hold Bhumi pooja for 100 Congress party offices. "I will do Bhumi Pooja for a party office in Puttur," he said.
To a question on a few local Congress leaders criticising that Muslim leaders' names were not included in the invitation for the Bhumi Pooja in Puttur and that they are being sidelined, D K Shivakumar said, "Congress' politics is not based on caste but on the basis of ethics. Congress' politics is based on its ideology. We need all the castes and religions with us. There should be dharma in politics but not politics in dharma that is our party's ideology. Such tactics are done by those who are jealous and cannot build a party office. Let them also build a party office and we will provide them land free of cost," he said.