Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday asserted that there is no disgruntlement within the state Congress and slammed BJP for not being able to elect a leader of the opposition.
The statement has assumed importance against the backdrop of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claiming that he will continue in the post for a full term of five years.
Speaking to reporters at Hubballi on Friday, when asked about the dissidence within the party, Shivakumar in turn asked the media where is disgruntlement in the Congress party?
"The disgruntlement is in BJP and due to this they are not able to select candidates for key posts," he stated.
"You (media) are not questioning this. Have you ever seen the development of not appointing the leader of the opposition even after five or six months of elections in the state or the country?" Shivakumar asked.
When asked about the survey conducted to select candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, he stated, already ministers are sent to respective districts. They will give us reports. The opinion has been collected from 75 per cent of our workers, legislators and local leaders.
"The leaders from New Delhi have given us criteria for the selection of candidates based on that we have fixed certain eligibility for the selection of candidates," Shivakumar stated.
Answering a question on BJP taking up drought study, Shivakumar maintained that, let them study and submit the report to the central government.
"Our ministers N. Cheluvarayaswamy and Krishna ByreGowda after the study have declared about 200 taluks as drought hit. They have not made the declaration for nothing. The meetings in this regard are being held in Mandya, Haveri districts, he added.
Replying to the visit of the central drought team to the state, he stated a proposal has been sent for drought relief to the central government.
"We have also reserved Rs 1,000 crore to deal with the situation," he maintained.
Shivakumar also stated that the government had decided to celebrate the occasion of completion of 50 years after naming the state as Karnataka throughout the year.
(With inputs from IANS)
