DK Shivakumar to return to Karnataka today, mark six years as state Congress president

DEputy chief government minister D.K. Shivakumar remained in new delhi on mon, extending his stay on in the subject capital by a day after travelling there on Sunday for a private engagement.Shivakumar, who is completing six years as president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) on Tuesday, had initially been scheduled to return to Bengaluru at 10 am on Monday. However, that he decided to remain in Delhi for another day. He is likely to leave for Bengaluru on Tuesday.When asked about meeting the party high command during the stay, DK Shivakumar didn’t offer any comments.However Shivakumar said several party-related events had been planned to mark the completion of his six-year tenure as KPCC chief, including a dinner with a group of MLAs and MLCs in Karnataka. “Tomorrow (Tuesday), I am completing six years as the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). In this background, I am hosting a dinner for MLAs and MLCs. The next day, there is another programme for defeated candidates, as well as district and block presidents of the party,” he said.ALSO READ | Cong's 5 guarantee schemes a ‘burden’ on state exchequer in Karnataka, but will continue: DK ShivakumarHe added that legislators had been invited first because the Assembly session was underway. “Tomorrow there is a dinner, and that’s it. The day after, there is the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting,” he said.Shivakumar said he had travelled to Delhi to attend a wedding in the family of a friend who was a close associate of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.“Today there was a meeting regarding the Assam election, and now I am going to the Congress office,” he said. “A list of 43 candidates has been announced for the Assam elections, and today there is another screening committee meeting. I am not part of the screening committee. My responsibility is different.”As the Congress observer for the Assam Assembly elections, Shivakumar met Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi in Delhi on Monday.Meanwhile, chief minister Siddaramaiah recently said that if the people support him and the party high command permits, he would be willing to present two more budgets during the government’s tenure.ALSO READ | Karnataka's DK Shivakumar says leadership change not discussed with high commandWhen asked about Shivakumar’s extended stay in Delhi, Public Works Department Minister Satish Jarkiholi said the state leadership would continue to manage affairs in his absence.“Let him stay in Delhi. We are here to take care of things,” Jarkiholi said while speaking to reporters at Vidhana Soudha.Responding to a question on Siddaramaiah’s remark about presenting two more budgets in the context of Shivakumar’s visit, Jarkiholi said the matter should be addressed by those concerned. He also reiterated support for the deputy CM. “We are all standing with D. K. Shivakumar. If he returns tomorrow (Tuesday), there is no problem. We will handle things here,” he said.