New Delhi: Congress leader DK Shivakumar made it clear today that he would not back down in a tense rivalry with Siddaramaiah over the Karnataka chief minister’s post after the party’s big win in the state on Saturday. But he said he would not resort to “backstabbing or blackmail”, regardless of the party’s decision.
Siddaramaiah spent much of yesterday in Delhi, where he met with the Congress leadership amid reports that he was closer to the finish line than his younger colleague. “Let’s wait and see. I don’t know,” he told reporters cautiously, asked when there would be an announcement.
Mr Shivakumar arrived in Delhi this morning after canceling his visit last night at the last minute citing a stomach infection. “The party is my god…We have built this party, I am a part of it and I am not alone in this,” he said before flying out of Bengaluru.
Siddaramaiah spent much of yesterday in Delhi, where he met with the Congress leadership amid reports that he was closer to the finish line than his younger colleague. “Let’s wait and see. I don’t know,” he told reporters cautiously, asked when there would be an announcement.
Mr Shivakumar arrived in Delhi this morning after canceling his visit last night at the last minute citing a stomach infection. “The party is my god…We have built this party, I am a part of it and I am not alone in this,” he said before flying out of Bengaluru.”We have built this party (Congress), we have built this house. I am a part of it…A mother will give everything to her child,” he added, indicating that he expected the party to reward him for his role in Congress’s Karnataka victory.
But he repeated that he would not rebel. “If the party wants, they can give me the responsibility… Ours is a united house, our number is 135. I don’t want to divide anyone here. Whether they like me or not, I am a responsible man. I will not backstab and I will not blackmail,” Mr Shivakumar asserted.