Chief Minister-designate DK Shivakumar spells out his vision for Karnataka

Karnataka Chief Minister-designate DK Shivakumar, who is slated to take oath as Chief Minister tomorrow, has spelt out his vision for the state and said he will do his task with "a lot of dedication" and take along every section of society. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Shivakumar said he is obliged by the faith and confidence people in the country have shown in him.

He said a 'Yuva Yuga' will start in the state. Shivakumar also said that he knows his task may not be easy but he will make sincere efforts. He also talked about Bengaluru's place in India's IT industry and said the world is seeing India through Bengaluru and Karnataka. "The faith and the confidence the people of this country have shown me, I am very much obliged, and I have to do a lot of hard work and deliver. I know roads will not be so easy. It will be difficult times, but still I have to manage things. I hope the people of Karnataka have confidence in me. I have to do my job. I'll do it very sincerely with a lot of dedication," he said.

"I'll reshape because the world is seeing India through Bengaluru and Karnataka... I will have to take every section of society together, from the farmer to the woman, to the youth and a new 'Yuva Yuga' will start," he added. Shivakumar also talked about opportunities given to him by the Congress leadership and said it was his duty to be loyal to the Gandhi-Nehru family.

"I named my theatre on the death day of Indira Gandhi. That is the commitment I had with the Gandhi family, and they believed in me, and they gave me various opportunities. So it was my duty to be very loyal to the family of Rajiv Gandhi until now," he said. "Sonia Gandhi sacrificed; she could have become the Prime Minister. Rahul Gandhi could have become the Prime Minister, but they did not. Ultimately, they fought. Rahul Gandhi ji walked on the streets of this country... So it is my duty to do my job with trust," he added.

The Congress leader also spoke about his elevation. "It was not a dream. It was a dedication. Dedication with hard work. So it was a tough, troubling time. Though it has been delayed, it was not denied. I feel there's no Shivakumar here. It is a Congress worker, who stood on this democratic set-up with the history of the Congress party," Shivakumar said. The change in guard in the Congress government in Karnataka is taking place after it has completed three years. There has been repeated speculation about a leadership change in the state and Shivakumar's elevation from his role as Deputy Chief Minister since the Congress government completed half its five-year term.

Siddaramaiah resigned as Chief Minister last week, paving the way for Shivakumar's elevation. Shivakumar was elected Congress Legislative Party leader on Saturday. The Congress leadership is finalising the contours of the new Karnataka cabinet, which will be formed under the leadership of DK Shivakumar.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday chaired a crucial meeting with Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah in Delhi to finalise the state's new Cabinet and the upcoming Rajya Sabha poll nominees. (ANI)

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