DKS warns partymen to follow discipline; some MLAs seeks disciplinary action against Yathindra

Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D.K. Shivakumar on Friday broke his silence on Congress MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah’s remark on the change of leadership and said all party leaders should follow the party discipline, and he would take up the matter with the leaders concerned.

When reporters sought his reaction on some MLAs’ demand for issuing a disciplinary notice to Dr. Yahtindra, Mr. Shivakumar said, “Party discipline is the priority.” He further said he would “speak to people concerned” about the Chief Minister’s son’s remark that Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi could take over the leadership mantle as his father was at the fag end of his political life.

Mr. Jarkiholi had, in turn, sought to clarify that Dr. Yathindra had spoken about only an “ideological successor” to the Chief Minister and not a political successor.

Meanwhile, sources in the Congress said the party high command had collected information from the KPCC about Dr. Yathindra’s public utterances on leadership during the last 3 to 4 months.

DKS’s loyalists

To counter the Chief Minister’s camp, MLAs who are loyal to Mr .Shivakumar have sought disciplinary action against Dr. Yathindra. Ramanagara MLA Iqbal Hussain, Chennagiri MLA Shivaganga Basavaraj and Sagar MLA Beluru Gopalakrishna have demanded the intervention of the party high command to warn Dr. Yathindra, whose remark has apparently embarrassed the party.

Mr. Shivaganga Basavaraj said, “I have been given a notice for my remarks regarding the Chief Minister’s post. The party should take the statement made by Dr. Yathindra, who is also the Chief Minister’s son, seriously. Appropriate action should be taken against him.”

Mr. Gopalakrishna said the high command needs to intervene and issue a notice to the MLC for his “unnecessary remarks”, which dented the image of the party.

‘Focus on schemes’

Kunigal MLA H.D. Ranganath said legislators should refrain from issuing controversial statements on the issue of leadership. Instead, they should focus on providing benefits of the government’s schemes to the poor, he said.

Meanwhile, Rajendra Rajanna, son of former minister K.N. Rajanna, predicted changes would take place in the State politics after elections in Bihar. He also maintained that party MLAs’ support was needed to become the Chief Minister and the high command cannot push its own candidate.