Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar at the Bharathinagar Habba inauguration event.
Bengaluru: Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said on Sunday that the matter of inducting a woman minister into the Karnataka Cabinet has been brought to the attention of the Congress high command in Delhi, even as he confirmed preparations for the upcoming Hiriyur by-election and a visit to the national capital on Monday.
Speaking to reporters near his residence in Sadashivanagar and in Bharathinagar, Shivakumar said, “I have brought the matter of inducting a woman minister to the attention of our party high command in Delhi. I cannot say whether the process will happen tomorrow, but they have mentioned they will call me to Delhi to discuss it. It is something that needs to be done, and we will definitely see it through.”
Responding to a question on maintenance issues at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi ahead of the winter session, he said the Assembly Speaker would look into it and resolve any issues.
Asked whether he would follow up with the Prime Minister on the Mekedatu project after submitting a memorandum, the Chief Minister said he had already appealed to the Central government on the issue. “The Tamil Nadu government knows the truth, yet they continue to oppose it. That is their right, and we cannot stop them from voicing it. They have their own team of legal experts as well. As for us, we will push ahead with our work on Mekedatu,” he said.
When reporters pointed out that his cordial equation with the Prime Minister had become a sore point for BJP leaders, Shivakumar clarified, “As the Chief Minister of a state, I must accord the office of the Prime Minister the respect it deserves, and he reciprocates the respect due to a Chief Minister. Let us compete during elections, but right now, I have told him that we should work together for the development of the people.”
Hiriyur Bypoll: On preparations for the Hiriyur by-election, Shivakumar said, “We are all gearing up for the Hiriyur by-election, though we do not know when the dates will be announced. This Saturday, I will personally hold a ‘Prajaseve’ programme in Hiriyur to listen to the grievances of the public.”
No Word Yet on Guidance Value Hike: Queried about a proposed hike in property guidance values, the Chief Minister said, “No information regarding a revision of guidance values has been brought to my notice so far. Discussions might be underway at the departmental level. We will look into it when the file comes to me.”
Anti-Rowdy Squad: Addressing questions on the newly proposed anti-rowdy squad, Shivakumar explained, “To curb rowdyism in Bengaluru, we are forming a dedicated ‘Anti-Rowdy Squad’. We are removing rowdy elements from the purview of local police stations and bringing them directly under the Commissionerate. Often, rowdies maintain links with local police — we are aware of all this. To ensure there is no room for such nexus, the squad itself will crack down on criminal activities. Our goal is to build a fear-free Bengaluru where not even a minor untoward incident takes place.” He added that the government was working towards a drug-free Karnataka, with police officials currently conducting a large-scale crackdown across the state.
Delhi Visit Tomorrow: On his travel plans, Shivakumar said, “My new house is not fully complete yet. However, since tomorrow is an auspicious day, we are holding a quiet family puja without inviting anyone. Following that, I will leave for Delhi at 12 noon to attend Sonia Gandhi’s book launch.”
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