‘Forging the alliance was a hard call’
KEEPING VIGIL Being regarded as the Congress’s troubleshooter, Shivakumar discusses his plans for the future and the alliance stitched in Karnataka
keep the flock together.
Why do you think your party fared so badly in this election, considering nobody saw an antiincumbency wave?
I don’t want to go into the details of that. I admit our numbers went very bad, especially in the Vokkaliga belt. I had warned my party leaders also that this was about to happen and that we should be very cautious. But we were also over-confident at that time.
You are seen as someone who has challenged HD Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy in the past. How do you feel about the current coalition?
It is a very, very hard decision, because our workers have fought like great warriors in Ramanagara, Channapatna, Mandya, Mysuru and Hassan. In all these places they have fought hard, but now we are trying to sail together, and that has hurt a lot of them, including my family. A lot of cases were booked against my family under Kumaraswamy’s government.
But in the national interest, our personal interests cannot come to the fore. So, my ego also has to be kept away in the national and the party’s interests. If the party doesn’t respect these sentiments then it will be a different story altogether.
Are you now looking at a national role in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections rather than being limited to the state?
I don’t know what my party has decided, they haven’t yet spoken to me about this. But I have given them indications about what I need, and they will take a call.
How would you feel about being a minister in Kumaraswamy’s cabinet?
Let my party decide what I should be. But, my self-respect is very important.
Many Congress workers have demanded that you should become the state party chief. What is your feeling?
The time is not ripe now. There was a time when (such a decision) would have changed the political scene of Karnataka, but that has gone now. Let us wait for some time now.
You are referred to as a strong man of the party. What is your response to this?
What does being called a strong man mean? One who has many enemies. So if you are more strong, you will have a lot of enemies.
There were reports before the polls that you and Kumaraswamy had come together to defeat [BJP candidate] CP Yogeshwara in Channapatna. Were these true?
No, we had not come together to defeat Yogeshwara, that is not a point to be discussed now. The bigger issue was that he backstabbed us and we had to ensure that our Congress voters remained intact as there is a Parliamentary election ahead. So, we forced (former minister) HM Revanna to contest from there and we kept the BJP out.
The BJP has made significant gains in the Old Mysuru region. Is the region going to see a triangular contest henceforth?
It isn’t like that. Some mistakes from our side helped them. But, it is too early to comment on this.
There are two seats, where polls are yet to be held. What do you foresee?
In the Rajarajeshwari Nagar seat we have a sitting MLA, so we can’t offer it to the JD(S). In Jayanagar, we have a very strong candidate, there is no problem there, even though the BJP has a significant presence in the area.
BENGALURU:
Since the chief minister is a Vokkaliga, there are reports that you might not get the deputy CM post. Are you looking to get any particular ministry in this government?
I don’t want to be looked at as a Vokkaliga leader.
I am a Congressman, and I don’t believe in any caste. I was born as a Vokkaliga that’s all.
Are you looking at a bigger role in the party?
Let us see. Let me not be in a hurry.
What next for DK Shivakumar?
I don’t know…I’m confident that my leader Rahul Gandhi and the entire high command knows about my commitment to the party and what I’ve been doing.
They’ll take care of my political interests. I’m not a sannyasi, but I’ll have to do a lot of work because now there is a bigger challenge to keep our party united, not only the MLAs but also workers.
Till the parliamentary elections are over, we have to make a united effort.