Bangalore: At last, sulking D K Shivkumar takes oath as MLA

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jun 13: Senior Congress leader and former minister D K Shivakumar, who had been sulking at being denied ministerial berth in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress cabinet, finally took the oath as the member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Thursday.

All other members of the Assembly have already taken the oath before the commencement of the formal proceedings of the Assembly session which was concluded on Wednesday.

Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa administered the oath to Shivakumar in his chamber.

Former Assembly Speaker and senior Congress leader Ramesh Kumar, who was also denied cabinet berth on account of the murder case and other alleged land scam against him like the alleged irregularities in the mining scam against Shivakumar, was also present.

State Congress President Dr G Parameshwara called on Shivakumar at his residence and advised him to take oath as member of the Assembly as it would send a wrong message to the people and amount to disrespecting the wishes of the voters of his Kanakapura constituency if he failed to take the oath as MLA.

Shivakumar, who had gone on visiting temples and pilgrim centres when assembly session was going on, said he was busy in ''personal work and other political activities” and explained that there was a delay in taking oath.

The former State Congress Working president, who was upset for not giving him the Cabinet berth, told reporters that some leaders within the party and freedom fighters projected him as “tainted” to deny ministerial position in the Congress government.

Freedom fighter H S Doreswamy had written letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to keep Shivakumar out of the State Cabinet for allegedly being involved in the illegal mining scam.

''Some vested elements worked against me to deny Cabinet berth and curb my political career,” Shivakumar said

The party was above all members and he would abide the decision taken by the party high command on formation of the Cabinet by the Chief Minister, he said.