Shivakumar shrugs off additional Deputy CMs demand

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar remarked that the party would respond appropriately to the demand of adding three more Deputy CM. He made the comments after visiting the Kukke Subramanya temple on Tuesday.

Minister for Housing and Minority Welfare Zameer Ahmed Khan joined his colleagues Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna and PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi in demanding three more Deputy CMs.

DK Shivakumar is the only Deputy CM and he is a Vokkaliga. CM Siddaramaiah is a Kuruba. Additional Deputy CMs from populous communities namely Veerashaiva-Lingayats, Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Muslims are being demanded.

Back in May last year, Shivakumar had demanded that he be made the lone Deputy CM. Moreover, he has been promised the CM’s post in the second half of the five-year term. The demand for additional Deputy CMs by Siddaramaiah loyalists is seen as a ploy to keep Shivakumar in check.

“Let anyone make any demand. The party will give the reply,” Shivakumar said. “Please ask this question to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and general secretary Singh Surjewala.''