A lot to learn from US poll process, election rallies: Deputy CM DK Shivakumar
Kalaburagi (Karnataka), Sep 17: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said there is a lot to learn from the poll process in the United States and the way election rallies are conducted there.
Shivakumar, also state Congress chief, returned from his ten-day visit to the US earlier today.
He said it was private visit and he had not met any top political leaders there.
"Mine was a private trip, not the government, I had gone with family for some personal work," Shivakumar told reporters here.
Asked about his trip being "linked" by some to the November five US Presidential election, he said: "all those things are false, the place I had gone, election (rally) was going on there, I had gone to see how things happened there....I have not met anyone (leaders)."
"...we have a lot to learn, the passion there, youths, interest, election process -- all those things, there is a lot to learn, I will speak about it some other time," he added.
Earlier in the day, speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Shivakumar, replying to a question on his meeting with former Congress President Rahul Gandhi in the US, said he doesn't need to take anyone's permission to meet his party leader, and what transpired in the meeting is not for public consumption.
There were speculations in some quarters linking Shivakumar's meeting with Rahul Gandhi over the possibility of change of Chief Minister. Shivakumar had in the past made no secret of his ambition to become CM.
To a question on violence and tension in Nagamangala in Mandya district and Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada district, Shivakumar said the government and the police department had taken immediate action to bring the situation under control and will take action against the culprits.
"Those who want to do politics will do, we will not bother about it," he said, in an apparent dig at the opposition BJP and JD(S).
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Stalin claims DMK secured 1.54 crore votes
Chennai (PTI): DMK president M K Stalin on Tuesday, in a veiled reference to the TVK, claimed that the party that won additional constituencies has gained only 17.43 lakh more votes than the DMK.
He was referring to the April 23 Assembly polls where the DMK and its allies secured 74 seats, with the Dravidian party netting 59 constituencies.
In a statement, Stalin said, "the percentage difference in votes between us and them is just 3.52 per cent," in an apparent reference to the Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kahzagam emerged victorious in the polls, the results of which were announced on Monday.
Claiming that the DMK alliance has secured 1.54 crore votes, Stalin said, "I consider each and every one of your votes as an invaluable token of trust".
Stating that DMK has been in power several times, he said "there is no victory we have not seen and there is no defeat we have not faced".
"Whether in victory or defeat, those who regard them equally and continue their journey toward their ideals are the comrades of the party", he said adding "you are the lifeblood and roots of the movement".
"The harvest of 1.54 crore votes is the fruit of your commitment", he said.
"What return can I offer for your hard work? With the feeling of being the chief worker, we will continue our journey," the DMK chief added.
Stalin said "if we are the ruling party, we will formulate schemes for the people. If we are the opposition party, we will fight for the people's demands. In that regard, now as a strong opposition party, we will continue to work for the people".
Asserting that the DMK will continue the journey of taking forward the policies of the century-old great Dravidian movement, protecting race, language, and nation, the DMK leader said "in our journey, I will not leave anyone behind. We will win again".
