Leadership decisions won’t be based on caste or religion, says Minister Eshwara Khandre
Bengaluru: Forest, Environment, and Zoology Minister Eshwara Khandre has clarified that leadership positions in Karnataka, including the Chief Minister and KPCC president posts, are not vacant and that any decisions regarding leadership will not be based on caste, community, or religion.
Responding to questions about MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah’s recent statement suggesting that Satish Jarkiholi could fill a leadership role after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s political twilight, Khandre said that Yathindra’s remarks should not be interpreted as the voice of the Chief Minister. “Yathindra himself has already clarified his statement. There is no need for anyone else to comment on it,” he said.
Khandre emphasised that the Congress party is set to return to power in 2028, and at the appropriate time, senior party leaders will consult across communities and castes before making leadership decisions. He dismissed the notion of a “November Revolution” as entirely mistaken, saying the Siddaramaiah-led government, along with Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, is delivering effective governance and earning public approval, which has reportedly unsettled the opposition.
On a separate note, Khandre said he would travel to Delhi to meet senior party leaders regarding various departmental issues, including forest land under HMT and forest development fees, which are currently under Supreme Court review. He also noted that the government is taking immediate action to treat injured elephants at the Sugarcane Bull Elephant Camp, highlighting the shortage of wildlife veterinarians and arrangements for temporary medical support.
Responding to broader concerns, Khandre said, “As a minister responsible for forests, environment, and zoology, I feel satisfied that I am entrusted with a role that safeguards the interests of future generations.”
On questions regarding historical figures, he added, “Great personalities do not belong to any single caste. Efforts to claim them as the property of a caste, community, or organization are incorrect. Power lies in unity, and all communities should be brought together for the benefit of the state and nation. Any attempt to unify communities like Veerashaiva-Lingayat will be welcomed.”
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Veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa laid to rest with full state honours
Bengaluru (PTI): Veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa was laid to rest with full state honours on Monday.
The 94-year-old former minister, who passed away at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Sunday, was cremated at the Kalleshwara Mill premises, following Veerashaiva-Lingayat traditions.
Earlier in the day, Shivashankarappa's mortal remains were brought to his native Davanagere, where they were kept at the high school grounds for the public, his followers, and well-wishers to pay their last respects.
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Expressing deep sorrow over his demise, the Karnataka government ordered that his last rites be performed with full state honours.
Both the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Council also mourned his passing, adjourning their sessions for the day after paying tributes.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, several ministers, opposition leaders, legislators, and political figures paid their respects.
A number of seers from the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community also attended the last rites.
Shivashankarappa represented the Davanagere South Assembly constituency. He had been undergoing treatment at the hospital for some time before succumbing to age-related ailments.
The senior-most legislator in Karnataka, Shivashankarappa, was also one of the longest-serving lawmakers in the country, sources said.
He is survived by three sons, including S S Mallikarjun, the Karnataka Minister for Mines, Geology, and Horticulture, and four daughters. His daughter-in-law, Prabha Mallikarjun, is the Member of Parliament from Davanagere.
A six-time MLA, Shivashankarappa also served as a minister and an MP.
He was a prominent educationist, establishing several educational institutions, and was an industrialist.
Additionally, he served as the treasurer of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) for decades and was the president of the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, the apex body of the influential Veerashaiva-Lingayat community.
