“Will file defamation case against channels which are…”: DK Shivakumar

NEW DELHI: As Congress deliberates on who should be the chief minister of Karnataka, party state president DK Shivakumar, one of the frontrunners for the post in the southern State on Tuesday said that he would file a defamation case against the media channels which are making false claims over his resignation.

“If any channel is reporting that I am resigning from the post, I will file a defamation case against them…Some of them are reporting that I will resign…My mother is my party, I built this party. My high command, my MLAs, my party are there,” Karnataka Congress President told the reporters.

Other claimants are also emerging as supporters of G Parameshwara staged protests and said he was ready to take up the responsibility if the party high command asked him to run the government.

“If the high command wants, I am ready to take up the responsibility,” the former Deputy Chief Minister told reporters while demanding that a Dalit should become CM.

Shivakumar on Tuesday arrived at the office of his brother and Congress leader DK Suresh.

Despite Congress’ clear mandate in the Karnataka assembly polls, suspense over the chief minister continues as senior leaders DK Shivakumar, who is the Karnataka Congress’ president, and Siddaramaiah, former chief minister and leader of the opposition are in the race.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today met party president Mallikarjun Kharge who is set to make his decision after going through the Congress central observers’ report, which was submitted yesterday.

However, Shivakumar who had earlier cancelled his visit to the national capital on Monday evening citing health issues, arrived in Delhi today.

The Congress won 135 seats in the recently held election to the 224-member Karnataka assembly.

Earlier in the day, Shivakumar, in an exclusive interview with ANI made it clear that he would not resort to “backstabbing or blackmail” regardless of the party’s decision.

“If the party wants they can give me the responsibility……. Ours is a united house, our number is 135. I don’t want to divide anyone here. Whether they like me or not, I am a responsible man. I will not backstab and I will not blackmail,” he said.

“The Party is my god…We have built this party, I am a part of it and I am not alone in this,” he said before his departure from Bengaluru.

“We have built this party (Congress), we have built this house. I am a part of it…A mother will give everything to her child,” he said.

Asked about his expectations as the state party president, Shivakumar said,” I don’t want to comment on what has happened earlier. How it happened. That is a closed chapter we formed the government we lost the government, we lost a coalition government. Who is responsible for the victory and loss there is no use of talking about it now. Let us not sell this story… let us sell the future.”