I am in no hurry, party will decide: DK Shivakumar says on leadership change
Bengaluru: KPCC president and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has said he is in no hurry over the issue of leadership change and that everything will be decided by the party.
Speaking to reporters near the Palace Grounds on Friday, Shivakumar responded to questions about Congress workers wanting to see him as the next Chief Minister. He said the decision lies fully with the party.
When asked whether he and the Chief Minister would be travelling to Delhi, Shivakumar said he may go as he has several official commitments there. He explained that the Parliament winter session is about to begin and he needs to meet MPs.
He noted that the State has secured favourable directions in court regarding the Mekedatu project, and that the revised DPR is being prepared. Matters related to Mahadayi, Krishna and Ettinahole projects will also be discussed with MPs. A decision on calling an all-party meeting will be taken after talking to the Chief Minister, he added.
On the issue of maize prices, Shivakumar said the Centre has not supported farmers. Though the minimum support price has been fixed at 2400 rupees per quintal, farmers are receiving only 1600 to 1800 rupees in the market. He said the State will hold a meeting with mill owners and urge the Centre to procure maize.
Responding to a question on whether he would visit the Congress office in Delhi, Shivakumar said the party office there is like a temple for them and it provides guidance.
When asked about community pressure to make him Chief Minister, Shivakumar said he does not wish to speak from a community angle. He said Congress is his community and his commitment is towards people from all sections, including backward classes, scheduled communities and minorities. He added that the Vokkaliga community, to which he belongs, is also a backward class community.
On the BJP giving different interpretations to his recent Mumbai visit, he clarified that he had gone only to see an ailing close friend who has supported him in many ways. He said he spent about an hour at the hospital and returned.
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Naval information leak case: Fourth accused held
Udupi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Udupi police have arrested another accused in a case involving the alleged transmission of confidential information related to the Indian Navy to Pakistan, taking the total number of arrests to four, officials said on Thursday.
The arrested accused has been identified as Alif Islam (21), a native of West Bengal, who was presently residing at Marayur village in Idukki district of Kerala, they said.
He was apprehended in connection with the alleged leak of a confidential list containing identification numbers of Indian naval vessels, police said.
According to investigators, the accused are suspected to have shared sensitive information through WhatsApp and Facebook with contacts in Pakistan without authorisation.
The case was registered at Malpe police station in 2025 following a complaint regarding the alleged illegal transmission of naval-related data, officials said.
Police said the investigation pertains to the alleged sharing of a classified list of ship numbers linked to the Indian Navy.
In November 2025, two accused -- Rohit and Santri from Uttar Pradesh -- were taken into custody in connection with the same case. Later, Hirendra Kumar from Gujarat was arrested in December 2025.
With the latest arrest, the number of persons held in the case has risen to four.
Police said one more accused is yet to be apprehended. The operator of the Facebook page allegedly used to transmit the information also remains at large.
Investigators suspect that Islam may be a Bangladeshi national, and efforts are on to verify his citizenship and other credentials.
Further investigation is under way, police added.
