Congress MLC dismisses rumours of coup by Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar in Karnataka

MLC and Congress leader Channaraj Hattiholi has dismissed rumours and claims by some opposition leaders that Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar is planning a coup to gain power in Karnataka.

“Some opposition leaders have falsely claimed that Mr. Shivakumar is booking resorts in Goa for Congress MLAs. That is not true. There is no resort politics in the Congress. Mr. Shivakumar is a born Congressman, and a loyalist of the party. He will not do anything to embarrass the party. He will follow the high command’s instructions,” the MLC told reporters in Belagavi on February 12 during discussions on the preparations for celebrations of the birthday of Minister of Women and Child Development, and Disabled and Senior Citizens Laxmi Hebbalkar, who is his sister.

Mr. Hattiholi said that Mr. Shivakumar’s recent visit to New Delhi had succeeded and that there would be good times for him in future. “This March 10, Mr. Shivakumar completes 10 years as the Congress president. He has worked hard for the party and rebuilt it from the grassroots level. That he should become the CM is not just the wish of party workers, but of the whole State,” he said.

“The party has not come to power only because of Mr. Shivakumar. The contribution of leaders like Mr. Siddaramaiah and Satish Jarkiholi is also immense. But we should not forget under what circumstances Mr. Shivakumar came to head the party and lead it successfully. I would say his recent Delhi trip has been largely successful,” he said.

He said that the decision of Congress legislators to go on a foreign trip was not a political one. “It is not related to the change in leadership issue. Everything is fine in the party,” Mr. Hattiholi said.