MPs from parties other than JDS participate in meeting : DK Shivakumar

By Editor

Posted on March 20, 2026

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MPs from parties other than JDS participate in meeting : DK Shivakumar

Bengaluru : Stating that the legal counsels have confirmed that there were no legal hurdles for increasing the height of Alamatti dam, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar today said he would convene an all-party meeting in the state and take a decision to go ahead.

Speaking to reporters at his Sadashivanagar residence, the DCM, who also holds the Irrigation portfolio, said, “I stayed in Delhi for two days and held a meeting with the state’s MPs. As many as 24 MPs – including BJP, Congress, nominated and independent MPs – attended the meeting while JDS MPs did not. I briefed them on the status of many of the state’s irrigation projects.”

“Jagadish Shettar, Govind Karjol, Basavaraj Bommai and P C Mohan gave some suggestions. Somanna and Prahlad Joshi said they could not attend and would come another day. It has been decided to take an all-party delegation to meet the Prime Minister and the Jal Shakti Minister, and a consensus has been reached on this,” he said.

“On this matter, our legal advisors Mohan Kataraki, retired Justice Nagamohan Das, and the Advocate General have shared a couple of important points. We will arrive at a decision on this shortly,” he informed.

“I met the Civil Aviation Minister and brought to his notice disparity between Bengaluru and other cities regarding Premium FAR and building height regulations. I need to meet the Defence Minister soon for discussions as well. We have conveyed the problems of our state, and everyone has responded positively,” he said.

When asked about the second airport, he said, “Minister M B Patil has submitted a proposal and the minister has also shared his opinion on it. It needs to be placed before the Cabinet and the pros and cons must be discussed. Land acquisition, finances, and other matters need to be deliberated. He has also conducted a study and submitted a report. The central aviation authority has also reported on what kind of building height regulations exist in global cities. This will help us understand the standards followed elsewhere in the world. We will get that report and then take a decision.”

‘B’ Form distribution as per High Command’s decision:
When asked who the Congress candidates for the by-election would be, he said, “Over the past two months, I have collected reports from all levels, right from the booth level. Our leaders’ team has visited and given me their opinions. I have spoken with a few people myself. In two or three days, AICC secretaries will be arriving. The Chief Minister and I have discussed what needs to be done in the two constituencies. I cannot say this publicly. The party must win, and keeping the party’s interest in mind, the Chief Minister and I will put forward our views. The ‘B’ form will be distributed as per the High Command’s decision.”

When asked if a ticket would be given to a family member, he said, “Family does not matter here, the party must win. The party is what matters here. We must act as the party says. Because both constituencies are seats of prominent leaders. Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s constituency is the seat of the Veerashaiva Mahasabha president. Minorities are also important there. They have been extending support for a long time. Their proposal is also on the table. We need to sit with everyone and sort this out. Leaders who did not get a ticket in the last election have been given positions,” he said.

When asked if there was clarity on who should get the ticket and who would win, he said, “Here, what the party and the workers say is more important than my personal opinion or survey reports.”

When asked about late Ananthkumar’s daughter Aishwarya’s criticism that ‘Karnataka is being made a cash cow’ for the Assam elections, he said, “I don’t know who she is. We also have cows at home — has she seen them? We domesticate cows that have been gifted to us in our cow shed.”

“Discussions were held with leaders regarding the Assam elections. A Zoom meeting will be held today as well. A campaign schedule will also be prepared,” he said.

Aspiring to become a minister is not wrong

When asked about demands for Cabinet reshuffle and consideration of new faces, he said, “What is wrong in aspiring to become a minister? The Chief Minister has said there will be a Cabinet reshuffle, hasn’t he? Knowing that there is a vacancy after he said so, they are trying their luck.”

Time will decide:
When asked whether it would be a Cabinet reshuffle or a power-sharing arrangement, he said, “Time will decide.”

When asked about reports of a separate meeting with Priyanka Gandhi, he said, “I am not going to discuss that. I will not say what I discussed with whom. Time will decide.”
When asked about K C Venugopal’s statement that the CM post is not vacant, he said, “Yes, he has said the post is not vacant. But he has also said the party and the MLAs will decide.”