DK Shivakumar neither in hurry nor under pressure for CM post, says his brother DK Suresh
Bengaluru, Jul 12 (PTI): Former Lok Sabha member D K Suresh on Saturday clarified that his brother and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar is neither in a hurry nor under pressure regarding the CM post.
He made the remarks against the backdrop of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's recent assertion that he would complete his full five-year tenure.
"D K Shivakumar is neither in a hurry (to become CM) nor under any pressure," Suresh told reporters here.
Earlier, it had been speculated that Shivakumar, who is also the Congress state president and considered a key contender for the top post in the state, would take over the chief minister's role midway in the present regime.
Responding to queries, Suresh said, "There is no conflict in the Congress party. The high command, the chief minister and Shivakumar have already clarified the matter. Siddaramaiah has said he will continue in leadership. Yet we don't know why there is confusion in the media."
He added that Shivakumar is sincerely carrying out the responsibilities given to him and working in accordance with the party's direction.
"At present, the chief minister's post is not vacant. We don't know why this issue is being discussed repeatedly," Suresh said.
He added that Shivakumar is a loyal party worker who respects the Congress high command.
There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister’s post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May 2023, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy CM.
There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational chief minister formula" according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years, but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.
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Bangladesh court sentences Sheikh Hasina to 10 years in jail in corruption cases
Dhaka (PTI): A Bangladesh court on Monday sentenced deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to 10 years in jail in two separate corruption cases related to alleged irregularities in allocations of land in a government housing project.
Dhaka Special Judge’s Court-4 Judge Rabiul Alam handed down the verdicts, sentencing Hasina to a total of 10 years’ imprisonment — five years in each case, state-run BSS news agency reported.
The court sentenced 78-year-old Hasina, her nephew Radwan Mujib Siddiq, and her nieces, Tulip Rizwana Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq, and others in the cases over alleged irregularities in the allocation of plots under the Rajuk New Town Project in Purbachol.
The judgment was pronounced at around 12.30 pm.
Tulip Siddiq was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment — two years in each case — while Radwan Mujib Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq were each sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment in both cases.
Rajuk member Mohammad Khurshid Alam, the only accused to surrender before the court, was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment in each case, totalling two years.
The court also fined all convicted persons Tk1 lakh each and ordered them to serve an additional six months in prison in default of payment.
Hasina has been living in India since she fled Bangladesh on August 5 last year in the face of the massive protests. She was earlier declared a fugitive by the court.
The cases were filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over alleged abuse of power in the allocation of two 10-katha plots.
According to the prosecution, the accused manipulated the allocation process and violated existing rules and regulations of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk).
