‘Contribution, sacrifice’, why DK Shivakumar reiterated these words amid CM post tussle in Karnataka

BENGALURU: Amid the ongoing political tug-of-war over the Chief Minister’s post in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s recent statement about Sonia Gandhi sacrificing her chance to be Prime Minister has sparked speculation about the potential change.

Speaking at an event of the Department of Women and Child Development, Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizens, Shivakumar highlighted Gandhi’s decision to step aside for Manmohan Singh, citing it as an example of her selflessness.

Sonia Gandhi then had the UPA coalition’s support. But she said that the Prime Minister’s post was not important. She gave up the post of Prime Minister to economist Manmohan Singh. According to Shivakumar, he had said that the Gandhi family’s contribution to this country is great.

The Department of Women and Child Development recently celebrated the “Golden Jubilee” of the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) in Karnataka, alongside Children’s Day and World Senior Citizens’ Day. The program also featured an award ceremony for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizens.

Now, Shivakumar’s remark, “What is the calculation?”, has fueled discussions about his own ambitions and the power dynamics within the Congress party. With the two-and-a-half-year term of the current Chief Minister ending in November, Shivakumar’s comments have taken centre stage.

The power struggle reportedly began when the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20. Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have been exchanging cryptic posts on social media, with Siddaramaiah emphasising that “a word is not power unless it betters the world” and Shivakumar stating that “word power is world power.”

DK Shivakumar’s making such a statement in the wake of the power-sharing discussions has now become a public topic. Notably, the day before yesterday, DK Shivakumar also said that people don’t understand the value of the ‘chair’.

The question has arisen whether he has received an instruction from the high command on this, or whether he has, during this period, indirectly given up the dream of the Chief Minister post. The situation remains fluid, with various interpretations and speculations emerging. (ANI)