I always live with hope, confidence; time will answer: D K Shivakumar on leadership issue
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, who returned from New Delhi after meeting the Congress high command amid the leadership tussle in the state, on Friday said he lives with "hope and confidence" and that there will always be fruit for the efforts made.
He also reiterated that "time will answer", in the wake of reports that both he and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah may soon be called to New Delhi by the party leadership to discuss a possible transition of power.
"I always live with hope and confidence. There will always be fruit for the effort, whether it is for you, for me, or for anyone else. Where there is effort, there is fruit; where there is devotion, there is God," Shivakumar told reporters in response to a question after returning from New Delhi.
Asked whether the fruit of his efforts could be expected soon, he said, "Let’s talk about that some other time."
Responding to reports that both he and Siddaramaiah would be summoned to New Delhi around February 17 by the Congress high command to discuss a possible power transition, Shivakumar said, "I don’t know. Let’s see. Time will answer everything."
Shivakumar met senior party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, as well as AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, during his New Delhi visit.
On Thursday, the Deputy CM had told reporters in Delhi that the leadership issue was not discussed with the party’s top brass, but added that "patience will also pay". He had said the party’s central leadership would take a call at an appropriate time in the interest of the state.
The leadership tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about a possible change of chief minister after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, 2025.
The speculation has been fuelled by a reported power-sharing arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the time of the government’s formation in 2023.
Siddaramaiah had on Wednesday asserted that both he and Shivakumar should abide by the Congress high command’s decision on the chief ministerial change issue.
Amid reports that some party legislators are planning a foreign tour to Australia and New Zealand, with speculation linking it to the ongoing power tussle within the ruling party, Shivakumar—who is also the state Congress chief—said he was not aware of it and would inquire.
"I have not received any report on this, nor have I tried to obtain information about it. Now that you have brought it to my notice, I will inquire," he said, responding to a question about the legislators’ foreign tour, with some describing it as a study tour and others calling it personal.
When asked whether the Congress high command had sought any details on the tour, he said, "No one from the high command has spoken to me about this. Neither those going on the tour have spoken to me, nor those sending them."
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
