Yediyurappa pursuing vindictive politics, alleges D K Shivakumar
Bengaluru, Aug 30: Senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar against whom the Enforcement Directorate has issued fresh summons in a money laundering case, on Friday accused Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa of sowing the seed of "vindictive politics" in the state.
Alleging that various projects announced during the coalition government's tenure were being stalled, the former minister threatened Yediyurappa that he would stage a dharna, "if such orders are not withdrawn and projects not restored."
"I want to congratulate Mr Yediyurappa, a great friend of mine, who is now the Chief Minister of the state.
On the floor of the assembly he had said he will not get into vindictive politics...I'm happy, I would like to congratulate him as he has sown the seed of vindictiveness," Shivakumar said.
The congress leader claimed from the day Yediyurappa came to power, vindictive action has been going on against the Congress and JD(S) legislators.
Projects, which had been sanctioned by the coalition government, were being cancelled, he alleged.
"Directions have been given to all officials to put projects on hold and various BJP ministers, legislators and workers have been forcing the officers to stop them as all of them will be cancelled," he told reporters here ahead of his visit to Delhi to appear before the ED.
Shivakumar has termed the ED action a 'conspiracy' to defame him and his party.
Claiming that projects had been stalled in the Bangalore rural Lok Sabha constituency represented by his brother D K Suresh, the lone Congress MP from Karnataka, Shivakumar said it was his desire to have a medical college in Kanakapura, which the previous Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had granted.
"It was sanctioned, tender was called and plan was being finalized, cabinet too had cleared it. We were suppose to do a bhoomi pooja (land breaking ceremony), but it did not happen due to political unrest in the state.
After Yediyurappa came to power his single member cabinet has cancelled the medical college and shifted it to Chikkaballapura," he claimed.
"It is unfortunate. I never expected Yediyurappa to indulge in vindictive politics," the congress leader said as he appealed to the Chief Minister to withdraw the order immediately.
"Otherwise, I will have to fight it politically .
...I will have to sit on dharna in front of Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha (the state secretariat) till that medical college starts functioning.
Till my last breath, I will fight for people of my constituency. I will also protest against vindictive politics towards our Congress-JD(S) MLAs," he added.
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CPI(M) rebel Kunhikrishnan hopes for 5,000-vote win in Payyanur
Kannur (Kerala) (PTI): CPI(M) rebel candidate V Kunhikrishnan, who contested as a UDF-backed Independent from Payyanur here, on Saturday said he was hoping to win the Assembly election by a margin of 5,000 votes.
Kunhikrishnan was expelled from the CPI(M) earlier this year after raising allegations of corruption in the party’s martyrs’ fund against sitting MLA T I Madhusoodanan.
Speaking to a TV channel, Kunhikrishnan said he had announced his candidature as a mark of protest and not with expectations of victory.
However, he said the situation had changed drastically, with a strong undercurrent within CPI(M) votes favouring him.
"The undercurrent in CPI(M) votes cannot be measured. Now people are giving a response indicating victory with a margin of at least 5,000 votes," he said.
Payyanur is considered a CPI(M) stronghold, and a defeat for Madhusoodanan there would be a major setback for the party.
On political violence in Payyanur, Kunhikrishnan said he had been facing it since filing his nomination.
"The people leading this violence should think about how long they can continue it. It is the police which has to take the initiative to stop this violence as part of maintaining law and order. But the police are not intervening at the required level," he said.
Regarding his political future, Kunhikrishnan said efforts were underway to strengthen Left groups, and discussions were being held across Kerala in that regard.
"After discussing with others, a decision will be taken," he said.
Kunhikrishnan is among six former CPI(M) leaders who either exited the party or were suspended before contesting for the UDF in the April 9 Assembly elections.
Elections to the 140-seat Kerala Assembly were held on April 9, and the counting of votes will be held on May 4.
