Shivakumar to meet Congress leaders, Union minister during Delhi trip

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar will visit New Delhi to meet Congress leaders, Union ministers and legal counsels, even as leadership speculation resurfaces within the party. He also announced an SIT probe into alleged irregularities in the irrigation department

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar will go to New Delhi to meet party leaders on Tuesday.

“I will be meeting the party leaders who have called me to Delhi. During the visit, I will also meet Union Water Resource Minister C R Patil and legal counsels as well,” he told reporters here on Monday.

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Asked if top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has called him to Delhi, Shivakumar said, “I can’t disclose names of all the people I will be meeting. Why are you so curious? I am not just the Deputy CM but also the Congress state president. I will complete six years as the KPCC President on March 10 and it is my duty to meet party MPs and party leaders.”

“I keep meeting my party leaders and share my difficulties, sorrows, joys and aspirations,” Shivakumar added.

Asked about his Delhi visit when his department pre-budget meetings are scheduled, the Deputy CM said he will seek Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s permission.

He noted that the Chief Minister is also the Chairman of the Irrigation department.

He said the officials will meet Siddaramaiah on Mekedatu balancing reservoir that has been proposed on the Cauvery river at the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu border.

Shivakumar also said that he has ordered forming a Special Investigation Team in the Revenue Department against the nexus to loot the irrigation department in a planned way.

His visit comes amidst the leadership tussle involving him and Siddaramaiah re-surfacing.