Don't read too much into my meeting with Rahul Gandhi: D K Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said his recent meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was part of routine political interactions and nothing much should made out of it.
He also maintained that he would continue to engage with the party leadership on various issues.
Shivakumar said he had posted on 'X' stating that "Effort may fail but prayers won't," which was linked to developments in the Cauvery dispute.
"Due to my prayers, the Cauvery issue has taken a new shape in the court. The court has told the Centre that it has to take a decision on the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir issue. Hence, I tweeted it," he said.
He dismissed different interpretations by journalists.
On his meeting with Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday during his transit visit to Mysuru before heading for Tamil Nadu, the KPCC president said he had interacted with the Congress leader.
"I won't say I did not speak to him. I can't disclose what we had discussed. It's between me and him," Shivakumar said, adding that he would be travelling to Delhi on Friday.
"I am going to Delhi tomorrow where I will meet him (Rahul Gandhi). I have a meeting on the Assam Assembly polls," he said.
On his meeting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Shivakumar said it was part of party protocol for being the KPCC president to receive the party president when he visits the state.
Reacting to questions about jubilation among his supporters following his meeting with Rahul Gandhi, Shivakumar said he was unaware of such reactions.
"My meeting with Rahul Gandhi isn't new. I don't know who told you this. My meeting with party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Opposition Leader in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and others is not something that can be discussed in public," he added.
When asked whether he would convey the aspirations of his supporters to Rahul Gandhi, Shivakumar quipped that he will also communicate the aspirations of the journalists.
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Karnataka: Centre approves preparation for DPR highway projects in Dakshina Kannada
Mangaluru (Karnataka) (PTI): The Centre has approved the preparation of DPRs for several key highway projects in Dakshina Kannada, BJP MP Captain Brijesh Chowta said on Thursday.
The approval includes widening of the Surathkal-BC Road stretch via the Mangaluru Bypass and the construction of service roads along NH-66 from Talapady to Kundapur.
According to Captain Chowta, who represents Dakshina Kannada, the approval marks the first major step towards strengthening road infrastructure along the coastal belt, addressing long-pending demands related to traffic congestion, port connectivity and road safety.
The highways serve as major entry corridors to Mangaluru city and are critical for daily passenger movement as well as the transportation of goods to and from the New Mangalore Port. However, the absence of service roads and capacity limitations have led to severe congestion and safety concerns, Chowta said in a release.
Following continuous representations, Chowta pursued the matter with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
During the 2024 Monsoon Session of Parliament, he met senior ministry officials to highlight the need for service roads on NH-66. The issue was also raised during the DISHA committee meeting in Mangaluru in September 2024.
With the Detailed Project Report approval, consultants have been formally instructed to begin work, the release said.
The DPR will assess road alignment, service roads, grade-separated junctions, traffic capacity enhancement, safety measures and long-term traffic management, it added.
Welcoming the approval, Chowta said the move would provide the technical and administrative foundation required for execution of the projects.
He thanked Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and NHAI officials for responding to the region's infrastructure needs.
