Rambapuri seer calls for greater role for Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar
Ramanagara (PTI): Rambapuri seer Rajadeshikendra Shivacharya has opined that Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar deserved a more prominent role after the Congress party's resounding victory in the 2023 Assembly elections in Karnataka.
Shivakumar, who is also Congress state president, maintained a measured stance, saying he respected the wishes of party workers and seers, but would abide by the decision of the Congress high command.
There has been speculation within political circles, especially among the ruling Congress, for some time now about a possible change in the chief minister later this year, citing a power-sharing agreement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.
Speaking at an event to inaugurate newly built steps at the Siddeshwaraswamy hills in Kanakapura Taluk on Sunday, the seer lauded Shivakumar's organisational skills and his role in bringing the Congress to power in Karnataka.
"He should have got a higher position after the last elections. May he get a higher position in the days to come," he said.
The seer noted that only the national leadership, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Shivakumar knew the details of the internal understanding on leadership.
"Political leaders must honour their word. If there was an agreement before the elections, it should be respected. Asking Shivakumar to step down as KPCC president without fulfilling the promise is not a principled approach," the seer said.
In response, Shivakumar told reporters at his Kodihalli residence in Kanakapura that he respected the feelings of people and seers.
"It's not wrong for party workers, seers, or the public to express their wishes. But AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge has asked us not to speak on the matter. We will follow what the party decides," he said.
Asked about the seer's endorsement and possible agreement over leadership, the Deputy CM said, "Why should I talk about it openly? It's between me and the party. We are all working together."
There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the CM’s post after the Assembly election results in May 2023. The Congress managed to convince Shivakumar and made him the Deputy CM.
There were also reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational Chief Minister formula," under which Shivakumar would become CM after two-and-a-half years. However, this has not been officially confirmed by the party.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Sabarimala gold issue: UDF alleges CM's office interference, disrupts Assembly
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Alleging interference by the Chief Minister’s office in the SIT probe into the Sabarimala gold loss cases, the Congress-led UDF opposition disrupted Assembly proceedings on Tuesday, declaring that it would no longer cooperate with the House.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, V D Satheesan, informed Speaker A N Shamseer about the UDF's decision as the House proceedings commenced.
As the opposition protest continued in the House amidst the question hour, Congress MLA Anwar Sadath suddenly attempted to climb onto the Speaker's dais, leading to Shamseer stopping the assembly for around half-an-hour and leaving for his chambers.
Subsequently, when he returned at around 10 am, state Law Minister P Rajeev submitted in the House that the opposition was trying to subvert a proper probe into the Sabarimala gold case.
As the minister began speaking, the opposition started shouting and re-started its protest.
Rajeev alleged that it was the opposition which brought prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty into the picture to subvert the Global Ayyappa Sangam organised by the government.
"It is the opposition which knows who stole the gold from the shrine," he contended.
Dramatic scenes were witnessed in the House, after Shamseer said it was not right that some UDF MLAs tried to climb onto the Speaker's dais, as Sadath again tried to do the same and was pushed back by the watch-and-ward personnel of the assembly.
Subsequently, the watch-and-ward staff also forcibly pulled away the banner held up by the opposition MLAs in front of the dais.
Following the action by the watch-and-ward staff, more UDF MLAs tried to climb onto the dais, forcing the Speaker to again briefly adjourn the House as the ruling front legislators laughed at the actions of the opposition.
At 9 am when the House began, Satheesan alleged that the probe by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) was not going anywhere and conditions were being created for more of the arrested accused in the two Sabarimala gold loss cases to come out on statutory bail.
He said that soon prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty and three CPI(M) leaders, also arrested in the case, would be out on statutory bail.
"All this is happening due to the pressure and interference from the Chief Minister's Office. So, we would like to inform you (Speaker) that we are intensifying our protest by bringing it into the House and we are not going to cooperate with the assembly proceedings," the opposition leader said.
Opposition MLAs trooped into the well of the House and held up placards -- some of which claimed CPI(M) was protecting those accused in the two cases and that the Left party leaders stole Lord Ayyappa's gold -- in front of the Speaker's dais, shouting slogans against the government.
The question hour of the House, subsequently, proceeded amidst the opposition protest.
Responding to the opposition protest, state Health Minister Veena George said that not cooperating with the House proceedings shows the irresponsibility of the UDF.
The opposition intensified its protest a day after a vigilance court on Monday granted statutory bail to former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) executive officer D Sudheesh Kumar in two cases related to the loss of gold from the Sabarimala temple.
Former TDB administrative officers B Murari Babu and S Sreekumar are already out on statutory bail in the matter.
Sreekumar has not been made an accused in the second case involving the loss of gold from the doorframes of Sreekovil.
Potty has got statutory bail in one of the cases and once he gets the same relief in the other, he too will come out of jail.
The cases relate to the alleged loss of gold from the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idol plates and from the gold cladding on the door frames of the Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum).
The SIT has made 12 arrests in the matter till date.
