Daijiworld Media Network - Dharwad (SP)

Dharwad, May 10: Continuing with the tradition of political leaders engaged in campaigning breaking down at meetings, water resources minister, D K Shivakumar, on Thursday May 9, took upon himself the task of shedding tears. He paid teary farewell to his friend at a public meeting organized on Thursday at Ingalagi village in the district.

The minister, who is in-charge of election for Kundagol assembly constituency, got emotional when recollecting his friendship with former minister, the late C S Shivalli, who represented this constituency and whose demise has necessitated the current by-poll.

"Immediately after coming to know that Shivalli had suffered heart attack, I got very much concerned and spoke to Dr Manjunath over phone to get updates on the health of my friend, Shivalli. However, within a couple of minutes since I hung up, I got information that Shivalli was no more. The news was hard to digest," Shivakumar said with tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I have come here for the sake of Shivalli. All of you want to bless his soul and I am prostrating before you for that. I want to tell you people that this is not an election of Shivalli, but of the people of this constituency. You have gone through ups and downs of Shivalli's life and elevated him from the position of a gram panchayat member to state minister," he stated.

Shivakumar said that Shivalli's wife, Kusuma Shivalli, who is the Congress candidate here, never approached Congress leadership with request for ticket. "Our party workers came to us with recommendation to field her. They said she has a good personality and reputation, and is able to fill the void created by Shivalli. Therefore we have given her the party ticket and entrusted her welfare to your hands. It is for you to see that she enters the Vidhana Sabha," he pleaded.