‘Had got call from BJP to become Deputy CM or go to jail, I chose latter’: DK Shivakumar

BENGALURU: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar revealed that he was offered a deal by the BJP to either become the Deputy Chief Minister or go to jail during the coalition government crisis in 2019. However, he chose to remain loyal to the Congress party and opted for jail time to show his commitment to his party and ideology, he highlighted.

Speaking at the release ceremony of his book, ‘A Symbol of Loyalty’, on Wednesday evening, Shivakumar shared this experience, emphasising his dedication to the Congress party. “I got a call from someone from BJP in Delhi, but I won’t reveal the name. They contacted me through an income tax auditor when I was with my brother. The caller asked me if I would become Deputy CM or go to jail”, he said.

“Rajiv Gandhi gave me a ticket to contest the Assembly election and S Bangarappa had helped me and I have come this far. I preferred to go to jail. Everything is uncertain in politics. I was criticised for speaking about the RSS in the Assembly and nobody asked me to apologise, but I did so in the interest of the party workers”, he said.

The Deputy CM’s statement comes amid talk of power sharing in the Congress between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah. Political watchers pointed out that his remarks stressed that while he has been loyal to the party, he even had an opportunity to cross over to the BJP,

The book, written by K M Raghu, chronicles Shivakumar’s life and political journey, highlighting his struggles and achievements. Shivakumar’s decision to prioritise party loyalty over personal gain has reinforced his reputation as a steadfast leader, the book notes.