From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, July 3: KPCC Chief D K Shivakumar on Sunday, July 3 said the party will be fight the Karnataka assembly polls under collective leadership as advised by former Congress President Rahul Gandhi and central leaders.
Speaking to media persons at his residence on Sunday, he made it clear that party is more important than individuals and there is no harm in fighting the ensuing assembly polls under collective leadership.
Shivakumar, Congress legislature party leader in the assembly Siddaramaiah and his counterpart in the council BK Hariprasad as well Congress opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge, Congress deputy leader in the assembly UT Khader, KPCC Working Presidents Saleem Ahmed, Ishwar Khandre and other Congress state leaders warmly welcomed the opposition sponsored Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha at the Congress legislature party meeting held at private hotel.
The KPCC Chief declined to comment on the charge that the pre-poll survey conducted by the party that predicted Congress party getting a clear majority in the assembly elections as fake and said different surveys have given favourable results for the Congress party.
“I am not claiming that we completely believe in the survey findings. But the trend in several recent elections and by-elections held in the State is in favour of the party. The mood is in favour of the Congress party and we should build on it and ensure that the party comes back to power,’’ he said.
He said the controversy over the negative comments by former Congress MLA KN Rajanna about JD(S) supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda;s health is unfortunate. “The comments should not have been made. I have asked the party leader to apologise and he has done it. After his public apology, let us put an end to the issue instead of prolonging it further,” he said.
On the comment that the Congress party will fizzle out after the Siddaramothsava to mark the 75th birthday celebrations of Siddaramaiah, he said the celebrations are held on the demand of the former Chief Minister’s supporters. There is nothing wrong in it, he said pointing out that he has been invited to attend and will do so.
Sringeri Sri Sharad Mutt seer Sri Vidhushekar Bharati Swamiji visited Shivakumar’s residence in the morning and blessed him and his wife Usha and son Akash.