From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Mar 10: Karnataka's Energy Minister D K Shivakumar, who is considered as the only promsing Vokkaliga leader from the Congress party capable of challenging the dominance of his JD(S) rivals H D Deve Gowda and his son H D Kumaraswamy, on Thursday asked his bete-noire and former chief minister Kumaraswamy not to speak of retirement from politics.

"I have no selfish motive on his (Kumaraswamy’s) continuation in politics. But he should at least think of the interests and political future of his own JD(S) party workers," Shivakumar said.

Shivakumar was speaking to reporters after interacting with Congress workers at KPCC office in Bengaluru.

He sarcastically said hundreds of JD(S) workers will be doomed if their leader takes political retirement.

"What should the JD(S) workers do if he retires? He (Kumaraswamy) should not let them down. I request him not to retire on behalf of the JD(S) workers," he said.

The Congress leader felt it is not proper for a leader to think that he can serve people only if has power.

A leader should continue serving people irrespective of whether he or she is in power, he said.
Shivakumar said he was surprised when the JD(S) leader declared recently that he would retire if his party fails to come to power in the next Assembly elections in the State.

Answering questions from reporters, Shivakumar denied reports in a section of the media that KPCC president G Parameshwara was in Delhi on Wednesday to complain against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Except for some minor confusions, the State Government has been doing well.

The State party president met the Delhi leaders on some party affairs, he claimed.

To another question, the Congress leader said he was not in race to become the next State party president.