00:00Joining me now is the man who is at the center of it all.
00:03Our newsmaker tonight is D.K. Shiv Kumar, Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister.
00:07Appreciate you joining us, Mr. Shiv Kumar.
00:10Are we now to understand that Mr. Siddharamaya will be Chief Minister till 2028, till the next election?
00:17Or is this a temporary truce between you and him?
00:25See, we have been working together.
00:27The people of Karnataka has given us opportunity to serve them.
00:32We have implemented whatever we have promised.
00:35Their entire country is looking at.
00:38The confidence restored by the people of this state is very much important.
00:43So the party has decided who has to be the Chief Minister and the party team will take a call.
00:48That is what we are working together.
00:51Siddharamaya is our leader, he is my Chief Minister, I am his deputy.
00:55We all are working together.
00:57You are saying party?
00:58Now, Mr. Sudjiwala has come to see the organization.
01:00Yes.
01:01See, I am telling you, Mr. Sudjiwala has come to make, see now, Mr. Malikaj in Kargay had announced that this year will be the year of organization.
01:14So we are changing all the organization structure.
01:17The DCC, the blocks who have been there for a very long time and a new setup, they want to give more power to the DCCs.
01:24That process is going on.
01:27So he is taking suggestions from all the legislators who has to be, who is to lead, whether the DCCs should fight the election or work for the party.
01:35All these things have been discussed.
01:37And we are just planning for 100 Congress party, Congress offices.
01:42In that connection, he is just discussing.
01:44Sir, the reason I am asking you this is because there were reports ever since, in fact, you all won the election two years ago that you and Mr. Sidharamaya will share the term.
01:54Two and a half years, Sidharamaya, two and a half years, DK Shiv Kumar.
01:57The two and a half years ends in November.
01:59And there has been speculation that you will take over from him.
02:02Now, is this, therefore, that's why I asked you, is it a temporary truce or is a decision been taken that Sidharamaya ji will continue for the entire term?
02:11I don't want to discuss anything as that.
02:17But yesterday, my president, the ACC president, Mr. Malikarjin Kargi has commented on the issue.
02:24When he has commented, I am no one to comment on that issue.
02:28Whatever the party take a stand, we stand by it.
02:31Whether it is one year, two year, three year, five year or next five years, we have been going by the party high cabinet.
02:38I am a disciplined soldier of the party.
02:40I will go by my party high cabinet, whatever they tell.
02:43My job is to bring 2028 back to power in Karnataka.
02:48You are saying your job is to bring the Congress back to power in 2028.
02:53But one of your close associates, Mr. Hussain, an MLA today from Ramnagara said that more than 100 MLAs will support DK Shiv Kumar.
03:01Shiv Kumar ji should be made chief minister now.
03:03You have sent a disciplinary notice to him.
03:05I mean, am I to understand that you have been told that you should not encourage your supporters to ask for leadership change?
03:12No, I don't want anyone to ask this one.
03:17It is not the MLA battle or they may like, they may dislike.
03:22It is not anyone's choice.
03:24The decision has been already left to the high command.
03:27High command will take a decision whenever they want, if it is needed.
03:31Otherwise, we will all work together.
03:34I am not in a hurry for anything now.
03:36But why are so many ministers speaking out?
03:39We are at BR Patel, one of your MLA speakers.
03:41So many MLA ministers are speaking out against your government.
03:45It seems as if the Congress in Karnataka is a house divided two camps.
03:49Shiv Kumar camp, Sidhara Maya camp and some say possibly in the future even a Malik Arjun Gharge camp.
03:55No, it is all media speculation.
04:02There are no camps.
04:03There is no Shukumar camp or Sidhara Maya camp or any camp.
04:06There is only one camp.
04:07That is the Congress camp.
04:08You are saying there is no Congress camp.
04:12But then, do you agree?
04:13Then why are so many people speaking out of turn?
04:15There are people who are questioning the way the government is being run.
04:19They are directly targeting Mr. Sidhara Maya's style of functioning.
04:23I mean, it seems as if you are the party president also.
04:27You are not just deputy chief minister.
04:28There is no discipline in your party.
04:30Everyone is targeting the other side.
04:33No, no.
04:36That is why discipline is very important.
04:39That is why Mr. Swarjiwala is also working out to keep everyone and not to speak anything in public.
04:46If they want anything, let they hear their grievances before the party.
04:49I command.
04:50And I am there.
04:51Mr. CM is there.
04:52We will sort out their issues.
04:55Sir, you all came to power with a lot of expectations, sir, two years ago.
05:03And you were party president at the time.
05:06Now, would you agree that all these, that this kind of statements which are being made do affect your image?
05:14Do you concede that the Karnataka government's image has been affected, Mr. Shiv Kumar?
05:22No, I don't think that image.
05:24Some small desires and dissatisfaction some may have.
05:28But it is a very big party with a big history.
05:31Sometimes they speak.
05:32But Ayurthik is under control.
05:34Sir, you are both party president and deputy chief minister.
05:38And there has been talk that you may have to give up one of the two posts.
05:41Is that also true?
05:42Or are you leaving that decision also to the high command?
05:44Whatever the party tells, I will go by that.
05:50It is not…
05:51The day one, we brought the party to power.
05:54From the day one, I am ready.
05:56Whatever they take the decision, I will go by it.
05:58I believe in my party high command.
06:00Who is the high…
06:01When you say high command, is it the Gandhi family?
06:03Is it Malik Arjun Gharge?
06:04He is the party president.
06:06He is also from Karnataka.
06:07Is Malik Arjun Gharge the high command?
06:09Or is Sonia and Rahul Gandhi?
06:11Sonia Gandhi claims that she is not involved in day-to-day politics.
06:14So who is it?
06:15Rahul Gandhi, who is this high command?
06:17My party high command is my party.
06:23All India Congress committee president, my general secretaries, my former IACC presidents,
06:29all of them will sit and unitedly they will work and take a decision.
06:33It is not an individual decision that no one takes in my party.
06:36They all collectively sits.
06:38Our general secretary, administration, all of them sit.
06:42They are about it.
06:43And half a dozen of the leaders are there.
06:45They will take a call.
06:46How do you respond, sir, to the BJP which says that this government in Karnataka
06:50is living on day-to-day, month-to-month oxygen.
06:55This government in Karnataka will not last because of the infighting and factionalism.
06:59What will you say?
07:00The BJP is very gleeful.
07:02They are saying this has become a corrupt government
07:04and this corruption will eventually bring the downfall of this government.
07:13The BJP has given us more oxygen.
07:16Their administration, their rule, their infighting is in the sky.
07:21At least we are on the ground.
07:23They are on the sky.
07:24The infighting going on in the BJP.
07:26You know how things are going on in the BJP better than being.
07:29Sir, but they are saying you call them a 40% sarkara.
07:33They are calling you a 60% sarkara.
07:35They are saying you attacked us, saying that a PCM attacked the BOMAI government.
07:40Now they are attacking you and saying your government is taking money.
07:42You all are the corrupt government.
07:44There is nothing there to prove.
07:49Politically, they are charging.
07:51We have proved there whatever they have done and the people have accepted whatever we have said in the state of Karnataka.
07:57In conclusion, I will ask you, sir.
08:00There is a belief that post-September things could start happening in Karnataka.
08:03As I said, two and a half years, two and a half years.
08:06Your supporters have been saying this, sir.
08:08Whether you like it or not, that DK Shiv Kumar after two and a half years should become the chief minister.
08:13That was a deal that was agreed to apparently in May of 2023.
08:17I want clarity once and for all.
08:20Was there such a deal and will there be an attempt in October, November to effect a leadership change?
08:25See, we are not bothered about whatever my followers are.
08:34I don't have any followers.
08:35The Congress party is one.
08:37I don't want anyone to support.
08:39The party will take a decision whenever the party seems fit for what to, because we want 28 to come to power.
08:47We are working.
08:48Siddharamaya is my chief minister.
08:50Whenever, till ever, whenever he is there, I have to be work and we will work together.
08:54There is no question of any changes as of now.
08:58So, the hint that Mr. Kargay had given yesterday, there could be a leadership change.
09:02You are saying that is all speculation.
09:04You are saying you and Siddharamaya will work together.
09:07Of course, of course, whatever Kargay has said also, with lot of experience, lot of, he knows the entire situation.
09:19He will, whatever direction he will give, we all will abide by it and we will work together.
09:26D.K. Shiv Kumar, I know you've had a very long day and yet you've come on the show in conclusion.
09:32D.K. Shiv Kumar, whenever I talk to you, somewhere, I mean, as a longstanding congressman, you have an ambition to become chief minister.
09:39Don't deny.
09:40Don't, you know, don't say that you don't want to be.
09:42You believe that you work just as hard as anyone else.
09:45True or not?
09:47Your smile is saying it all.
09:49Your smile is saying it all.
09:50We will discuss later.
09:52Anyway, let us see that we come back with a better number.
10:01That is in 2028.
10:02We will come back with a better number.
10:042028.
10:05Okay, I'll leave it there.
10:06D.K. Shiv Kumar, I think the smile said it all.
10:08Who knows what tomorrow brings?
10:09There is a summer here.
10:10What will happen tomorrow?
10:12Who knows what tomorrow brings?
10:14In Panipat, I said to your TV that we are coming out with 136.
10:20I hope you remember.
10:21Yes, you are absolutely right in 2023.
10:24So that's why I asked you, will there be another chief minister in 2026?
10:29We will meet later.
10:31Bye.
10:32Okay.
10:33Thank you very much.
10:34Okay.
10:35There you have D.K. Shiv Kumar clarifying and claiming that he is fully with Mr. Sidharamaya
10:42and the Congress leadership, whatever decision they take.
10:46This is where you get all these exclusive news breaks.
10:48The Congress party, at least for the moment, seems to have doused the fires in Karnataka.
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