Chitradurga (Karnataka) [India], November 3 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday became emotional while recalling his close friend and former minister Sudhakar during a public programme in Dharmapura, Hiriyur constituency of Chitradurga district, where he also targeted the BJP and JD(S) over their previous tenure in power and expressed confidence that the Congress would form the government again in 2028.
While launching development projects worth over Rs 2,200 crore in Dharmapura, the Chief Minister said his government was committed to working for the people and urged them to support him and the Congress party.
Addressing the gathering, Shivakumar said, “In the past, we have defeated candidates who were the children of two Chief Ministers in the state. Let them field whoever they wish; however, a government that understands your homes and your hearts has now come to your doorstep. We have arrived in the Hiriyur constituency with the specific intent of creating history.”
He further asked the people whether they would abandon him and his party, which he said was committed to working for them, and questioned whether he had ever gone back on his word. He also remarked that for some people, lying was akin to a household deity.
Targeting the BJP over the Bhadra project, Shivakumar recalled that when Basavaraj Bommai was the Chief Minister and Nirmala Sitharaman was a Union Minister, an allocation of Rs 5,300 crore had been announced for the project, but not a single rupee was released.
He urged the people to question Bommai, Karnataka BJP chief Vijayendra, Karjol and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy if they approached them seeking votes, saying they had nothing to offer and describing them as having “empty baskets” or “empty containers”.
Recalling his association with Sudhakar, the Chief Minister said he was his friend and added that the constituency should give an additional 15,000 votes, considering his position as Chief Minister.
On the political contest in the constituency, Shivakumar said the children of two former Chief Ministers had contested elections in the past but failed to win, and questioned what those leaders could achieve now when they were out of power.
Meanwhile, as members of the gathering urged the announcement of Sudhakar’s son Suhas as the Congress candidate, Shivakumar said he had personally commissioned four separate surveys regarding the candidate.
He clarified that the party alone would take the final decision on the candidate, adding that he was no longer the Congress state president.
Appealing to the people to support him, Shivakumar said he was the candidate and urged them to bless him so that he could continue serving them, asking them not to worry about other matters. He also reiterated his confidence that the Congress government would return to power in 2028. (ANI)
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