Dinners with party colleagues not political engagements: DKS

DEputy chief government minister DK Shivakumar on fri pushed plump for against venture that a serial of dinners with party colleagues signalled renewed tensions within the state’s ruling Congress. He insisted that his recent engagements in Belagavi were social visits grounded in personal ties rather than political intent.Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar said he routinely receives invitations from long-time party associates and workers and attends these gatherings as a gesture of goodwill. He dismissed claims that his presence at a dinner with legislators on the outskirts of Belagavi was part of a coordinated political effort.“Friends from the region affectionately call me for lunch or dinner. How can I say no? It is not any dinner meet, but I have to go when I am invited,” he said.He described the meals as informal occasions prompted by old relationships. “A boy from my constituency is working here; he said he will send ‘mudde and upsaaru’ (traditional meal). Can I say no? The day after, Asif Sait and Feroze Sait invited me,” he explained, adding that long-standing party functionaries had also extended invitations.Pointing to one such host, he said, “Doddannavar is a former president of Belagavi district Congress and he is a friend too. He has been inviting me home for dinner for a long time. Can I forget my Congress family? Hence, I and a few others had gone there for dinner. It was not a dinner meeting.”Despite his insistence that the visit was personal, party insiders said more than 30 Congress legislators, including ministers, had joined Shivakumar for dinner late Thursday night. Among those present, according to party sources, were ministers KH Muniyappa, Mankal Vaidya, and MC Sudhakar, as well as MLAs NA Haris, Ramesh Bandisiddegowda, HC Balakrishna, Ganesh Hukkeri, Darshan Dhruvanarayana, Ashok Kumar Rai, and KY Nanjegowda.The gathering took place a day after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and a group of his close associates joined a dinner hosted by former Belagavi North MLA Feroz Sait.Shivakumar, meanwhile, fielded questions on another issue dominating the state’s attention: the government’s decision to permit cricket matches at Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium despite recent concerns over public safety. He said the approval had been granted after the government sought to protect the city’s standing.“We have taken necessary steps to protect the reputation of Bengaluru. We have permitted on the condition that adequate preventive measures would be in place,” he said, adding that Home Minister G Parameshwara had been assigned responsibility for security. “He has been given the responsibility to ensure adequate preventive measures during matches. KSCA President Venkatesh Prasad and his team will have a discussion with the police department,” he said.