I really believe that the nation is going to undergo a transformation. Shivakumar D.K
Undoubtedly, the busiest politician in the Congress is DK Shivakumar, the State Congress president and Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka. The party is working very hard to carry over its winning performance in the previous year’s assembly elections to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The Congressman stated that there will be a change in the nation and that neither the Modi nor the Ram Mandir wave would occur during a conversation with Assistant Resident Editor Ramu Patil and Editor of The New Indian Express, Santwana Bhattacharya, during the “Karnataka Dialogues,” a mini-conclave held in Bengaluru under the title “To the polls…and after.” A few quotes…
Santwana Bhattacharya: You predicted that the Congress will win 140 seats before to the assembly elections. The party won 136, so you were right on target. What do you think the current state and national situations are like? How many seats in Karnataka and across India will the Congress win?
DK Shivakumar: Regarding Karnataka, I had first anticipated 141 in the assembly votes held last year. My political math looked like this. We lost it because of some internal problems in five or six seats. Regarding the Lok Sabha elections, we are now providing “B” forms for the remaining 14 seats, since the nomination procedure for those 14 has concluded. I have no doubt that Karnataka will contribute a sizable amount to the Parliament. Even though our administration was in place in 2019, we were unable to provide Parliament with a sufficient number of seats. In many areas, our seats are still up for grabs at the federal level. However, it won’t surpass 200 seats for the NDA. There is no Modi or Ram Mandir wave in Karnataka. However, Americans trust Congress because we have upheld our principles and fulfilled our promises. I really believe that the nation is about to undergo a shift.
Ramu Patil: Which variables are in play for the Congress? The Congress or I.N.D.I.A alliance is not promoting a PM face, in contrast to the BJP. Is it the right course of action?
DKS: As a coalition of twenty-three political parties, we have yet to choose the I.N.D.I.A.’s nominee for prime minister. We support group leadership. At a conference conducted here, it was determined that I.N.D.I.A. should be born in Karnataka. We examine each state and each of its leaders. The alliance is convened by Mallikarjun Kharge, our president of the AICC. We shall confront the elections as a group, and the reaction to this is positive. Given the strength of the BJP and its confidence in winning all 28 seats in Karnataka, why was an alliance with the JDS necessary? They turned to a party that had previously kicked them out of power because they are weak. The Karnataka people will make the final decision, but they have united with the intention of defeating Congress.
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RP: Do you believe Congress will adopt a new strategy as a result of the assurance schemes approach? It functioned in Telangana and Karnataka. There are now national pledges.
DKS: This guarantee mechanism is our own. The wellbeing of this nation’s citizens is the reason it is done, not the party. In addition to the price rise of many other items, a lady had to spend anywhere between Rs 400 and Rs 1,000 for a gas cylinder. The price of cooking oil went from Rs 90 to Rs 220 per litre. The federal government attempted to support large corporations rather than the general populace even during the Covid era. We made the financial decision to assist others. BJP studies feelings; we study the personal growth of each person. We provided free electricity, free bus tickets for ladies, and Rs 2,000 for them. It is the advancement of the average person, and as a result, their socioeconomic standing will rise. We traveled to Himachal Pradesh and Telangana and made our commitments there. This is ensured not only for votes but also to empower the average person.
SB: But in response, you also have Modi’s assurances.
DKS: Modi addresses feelings. He focuses on topics like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Ram Mandir, and Article 370. We’re going to examine a hungry individual. A person feels delighted when his tummy is full. We passed several laws under the Congress administration at the Center, such as the rights to food and work, but throughout the last 10 years, the NDA government has not introduced any legislation that would benefit the average person. This is how our party differs from theirs.
SB: Do you believe that the Congress, especially in Karnataka, would have benefited by portraying Kharge as the prime minister?
DKS: Kharge is the I.N.D.I.A. bloc convenor; gaining more seats in every state is our ultimate objective. Parties will then make a decision. MPs wanted Sonia Gandhi to become prime minister while she headed the UPA. However, she forfeited this and provided Dr. Manmohan Singh, an economist, with the chance. This is Congress’s innate fortitude and leadership. After I.N.D.I.A. gains control, we will make a decision.
RP: It’s believed that Karnataka’s growth has suffered as a result of the state’s large spending to guarantee projects. In what way do you reply?
DKS: My nation will get stronger if I am powerful. I ought to be in good financial, mental, and physical health. Furthermore, the budget for guarantee programs is just Rs 52,000 crore, which is not a significant sum for a state like Karnataka. We support the average person. The PM had little power over commodity pricing. The prime minister promised to increase farmers’ income, but he was unable to do so. We have set aside Rs 1.27 lakh crore for the state’s development because we need it. We approach issues from the viewpoint of the average person. During the Bharat Jodo Yatra, an elderly lady handed Rahul Gandhi a cucumber and informed him that she had grown it on property that had been granted to her by Indira Gandhi. The folks who were landless many years ago are grateful for this.
SB: While your government is investing enormous sums of money for guarantee programs, it is also petitioning the Supreme Court to stop receiving cash from the Center for drought assistance.
DKS: All of the documents are accessible online. Funds are not distributed to Andhra Pradesh or Maharashtra in the same manner. The second-highest tax-paying state in the nation is Karnataka. There is now a drought in 224 taluks in Karnataka. The central government is responsible for providing cash for drought assistance. Ministers and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah met with Union Ministers. But no rupee has been provided. In the past, the states received hundreds of crores when such droughts were proclaimed. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) extends the required 100-day work to 150 days in states that are experiencing severe droughts or other extreme circumstances, such as the Covid pandemic. Had the BJP been in power in Karnataka, they would have assisted us, as they do in other places where they hold power. Since Congress is in control in Karnataka and the local populace did not support them in the election, they are unwilling to provide any assistance.
Not a single cent has been given, not even in Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget, which budgeted Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra project. People see us as political rivals.
SB: When you go to the polls this election, what story will the Congress and I.N.D.I.A. coalition be pushing? Is the federal relationship strained as a result? or the assurance that will be provided? or preserving the Constitution?
DKS: The playing field is not level. Center is tormenting us and stealing our money. We want to defend our tax rights. BJP MPs (from Karnataka) have not spoken out on problems like Mahadayi and Mekedatu or any other issue affecting the state. The BJP of Karnataka has 27 MPs, whereas the Congress has one. The drought that Karnataka is now experiencing may have been avoided if the required approvals for the Mahadayi and Mekedatu projects had been granted. They had the opportunity to resolve the issues if they had really wanted to, but BJP has closed its eyes, ears, and heart. “Our Tax, Our Right” is the central story we tell.
SB: A number of well-known Congressmen have joined the BJP. Why can’t Congress keep its leaders in place?
DKS: Central agencies are being misused by the BJP. The celebration is like to a washing machine in which party-jumping leaders are sanitized. The Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and many other Maharashtra officials joined the BJP. The Union government promptly closed every case that was brought against them. They are effective in threatening all leaders by using central agencies. Kejriwal, the chief minister of Delhi, is imprisoned during an election year in the country. Nearly twenty notifications from central agencies are received by my family, relatives, and acquaintances every day. We have daily threats to have me killed politically.
RP: You succeeded in bringing the Congress party to power in Karnataka in spite of all the obstacles. What has to be done to revitalize the party both nationally and in other states?
DKS: I haven’t examined matters at the federal level. Just at the state level, there are leaders such as Mallikarjuna Kharge and others. I have two large portfolios and am much too busy here. I have no doubt that we will have a clear road plan on it after the Lok Sabha elections.
RP: Leaders of the BJP and JDS claim that the Karnataka Congress administration won’t be stable after the Lok Sabha elections. How do you respond?
DKS: These two seem to be daydreaming, in my opinion. There is safety for our government. Why did the BJP and JDS team up? Many JDS leaders were prepared to join the BJP. They have joined forces in order to maintain the flock together.
RP: How do you feel about the subject of electoral bonds? Will voters find it appealing, or is it too complex for them to understand?
DKS: A ruling against the bonds has been rendered by the nation’s highest court. It called them outright unlawful. Many corporations have bought bonds after receiving letters from federal authorities such as the ED and CBI; this is one of the largest corruption instances. The current question is whether taxes would be owed on the funds that the political party has received. In response, the Central Board of Direct Taxes must act.
SB: The identities of those contributing money via electoral bonds would remain anonymous, as per a legislative sovereign commitment. All of it has now been made public. As someone with extensive experience in politics, what effect do you anticipate it will have going forward on political funding?
DKS: These days, it’s very tough for any political party. Even if we have plans to provide political parties checks, no businessmen will volunteer to support any party because they will be terrified of these kinds of regimes in charge. There will undoubtedly be a significant effect. However, because the court has already rendered a decision, I won’t go into too much detail about it now.
RP: You brought up the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project, which is opposed by DMK, a partner in your coalition. Will the LS polls help you persuade them?
DKS: When it comes to the interests of their state, the DMK and AIADMK are one in Tamil Nadu. I think the project’s implementation will safeguard their interests as well. In its ruling, the Supreme Court mandated that 177 tmcft of water be released to Tennessee. If Karnataka follows it, they may construct a reservoir. However, we want to construct in our region, while they want the reservoir built in theirs. The court is going to support us in this. The project area is inside my seat for the Kanakapura Assembly. We carry out the project and allot water to the southern regions of the state and Bengaluru.
SB: The opposition is bringing up the EVM controversy. Following Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, the BJP complained to the ECI. The Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) and Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) data were found to match 100% of the time, according to the petition accepted by the Supreme Court. Do you believe that will have a significant impact?
DKS: On this matter, political parties need to exercise caution. When the votes were counted in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress received 75% of the ballots; however, the results of the EVMs showed the opposite, shocking even the BJP. Our poll workers need carefully scrutinize each vote. Although I’m not familiar with the technology, many of our other leaders are talking about it. Fair, cost-free, and open elections need to be held.
RP: Although you launched Brand Bengaluru to improve the city’s image, Bengaluru still has to deal with a number of fundamental problems, like trash management and traffic congestion. Where do you see Bengaluru as a development ministry in the next 10 years or so?
DKS: I have a strong interest in water resources and Bengaluru development. Although I am not native to this region, I have lived here for more than fifty years. Bengaluru’s roadways cannot be enlarged since it is not a planned city like New Delhi, Chandigarh, or Mysuru, as the cost of compensation would be prohibitive. The population of the city was between 55 and 60 lakh twenty years ago when I served as the minister of urban development. It is 1.4 crore now. We are unable to levy additional taxes on families who possess four or five automobiles, as some other nations do. We consider other options like ring highways and metro trains. There would have been a serious issue if there hadn’t been a NICE road.
In parallel, we have budgeted between Rs 26,000 and Rs 27,000 crore for the periphery ring road. Farmers have been demonstrating against it in the meantime, but I don’t want to give it up. Additionally, a tunnel road is in the works, and bids have been requested. Solid waste management is one of the 70,000 proposals we have received for Brand Bengaluru. We are gathering them up. We also want to take use of the city’s tourist potential since it is a knowledge capital and an IT center. With the exception of Vidhana Soudha, there were no attractions for the average person. We will begin working on our agenda in three to four months.
SB: Estimates place the BJP and NDA in the range of 370–400 LS seats. Congress would be out of office for the greatest period of time—nearly 15 years—if that type of situation came to pass. Modi would be the second prime minister to hold that position for a third time, after Nehru. How did the Congress end up with it?
DKS: If the BJP was so powerful, why did they form an alliance with the JD(S) in Karnataka? Why would they need to introduce figures like (Naveen) Jindal and those from the Shiv Sena and NCP in Maharashtra? They believe they won’t go over 200 seats. They are not projecting these statistics from their inner strength, but rather for the benefit of the general public.
RP: There has been a lot of talk about the BJP-JD(S) coalition, particularly in Bengaluru Rural. From there, Amit Shah started his election campaign. What is the situation in the one LS seat that the Congress had a chance to win the last time?
DKS: They came to the Channapatna parliamentary seat after acknowledging their weakness. Why did former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda want his son-in-law, Dr CN Manjunath, to run on the BJP ticket if the JD(S) was so strong? For the record, let me say this: They will lose in all four seats, including the three that the JD(S) won as a result of their alliance with the BJP.
RP: What about the Backward Classes Commission’s Socioeconomic Survey (Caste Census) report? Was there resistance from Vokkaligas as well as Veerashaiva Lingayats?
DKS: In terms of our party, we support the caste census, but we believe it should be carried out methodically and after consulting with all relevant parties. We have nothing against it. We should act appropriately after receiving the report and learning the figures (population of each caste).
PERSON IN THE AUDIENCE:
Why did the Congress field leaders’ families, or dynasties, in 15–16 LS seats although the BJP was continuously attacking you on the matter?
DKS: The BJP is also in the same situation, having given tickets to relatives even when the candidates had to be replaced. You see, it’s just become a given for us. In the homes of leaders, leaders are trained. Although he was not well-known, my brother used to assist me. Meanwhile, Bengaluru Rural bypolls were declared when I was out of power. My brother DK Suresh was proclaimed a candidate by CM Siddaramaiah without my consent, while HD Kumaraswamy nominated his wife to be a JD(S) candidate. Together, the BJP and JDS battled, and I had to use my political influence to help my brother win by 1.3 lakh votes in the end. Three times in a row, he won the poll. This time, twelve family members of local leaders are receiving tickets in honor of their objectives, including those of MLAs.
Was the choice made using reports from the ground or a survey?
DKS: We do take surveys into consideration. DK Shivakumar, for one, would not trust the surveys until each assembly seat has a sample size of at least 50,000. A few studies conducted recently projected that the state assembly elections will result in fewer congressional seats.
When you correctly predicted the results of assembly elections, you were correct. How would you rate Mysuru-Kodagu?
DKS: Predictions are premature. We have included a Vokkaliga guy who lives next door, M Lakshaman, in the race despite decades of protest from the community. In opposition to Yaduveer, the CM and I chose to give it to a Vokkaliga (scion of the royal Wadiyar dynasty of Mysuru). In the days ahead, things can take on other forms.
But because you’re connected to the royal family, maybe you’ve contacted them as well?
DKS: The BJP made the agreement, but I had a message that the family member would enter politics.
If Congress does well in the LS elections, would you declare your candidacy for the CM post?
DKS: The dispute has already been resolved between Mallikarjun Kharge, Siddaramaiah, and the party high leadership. But I’d prefer not to decide on a date.
