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KPCC chief D K Shivakumar says friendship with HDK will remain intact

News Network
December 24, 2020

Bengaluru, Dec 24: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D. K. Shivakumar on Wednesday said that he would maintain his cordial relationship with Janata Dal (S) second-in-command H. D. Kumaraswamy.

Speaking to reporters here, Shivakumar conceded that at one point he detested Kumaraswamy a lot but now he has overcome that negative feeling. "We are humans, all of us have bad qualities and bad temperament. It is only that we have to overcome these negative thoughts in order to live in peace," he said.

In response to a question, Shivakumar said that as he has overcome his bad feelings, irrespective of any scenario, he considers Kumaraswamy will remain his friend.

"Why media terming him as my old friend? I did detest him in the past, but not anymore. I am not having any problems with him," he retorted.

Answering to another question, Shivakumar said that JD(S) as a political party has every right to align with any party it chooses. "I will not comment on their politics. I will not deride that party. JD(S) is also a party like us, they have the right to build their party. Why should we criticise the JD(S) we have taken their help whenever we wanted, just because they are not with us, it is not appropriate to criticise them now," he said.

Shivakumar's statements assumes significant, as ever since JD(S) and Congress coalition government collapsed in 2019, Kumaraswamy and Congress leader, Siddamraiah have continued to attack each other at every possible occasion, but Shivakumar has riled Kumarswamy much barring one or two occasions, that too mildly.

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News Network
January 23,2026

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot read only three lines from the 122-paragraph address prepared by the Congress-led state government while addressing the joint session of the Legislature on Thursday, effectively bypassing large sections critical of the BJP-led Union government.

The omitted portions of the customary Governor’s address outlined what the state government described as a “suppressive situation in economic and policy matters” under India’s federal framework. The speech also sharply criticised the Centre’s move to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, commonly referred to as the VB-GRAM (G) Act.

Governor Gehlot had earlier conveyed his objection to several paragraphs that were explicitly critical of the Union government. On Thursday, he confined himself to the opening lines — “I extend a warm welcome to all of you to the joint session of the State legislature. I am extremely pleased to address this august House” — before jumping directly to the concluding sentence of the final paragraph.

He ended the address by reading the last line of paragraph 122: “Overall, my government is firmly committed to doubling the pace of the State’s economic, social and physical development. Jai Hind — Jai Karnataka.”

According to the prepared speech, the Karnataka government demanded the scrapping of the VB-GRAM (G) Act, describing it as “contractor-centric” and detrimental to rural livelihoods, and called for the full restoration of MGNREGA. The state government argued that the new law undermines decentralisation, weakens labour protections, and centralises decision-making in violation of constitutional norms.

Key points from the unread sections of the speech:

•    Karnataka facing a “suppressive” economic and policy environment within the federal system

•    Repeal of MGNREGA described as a blow to rural livelihoods

•    VB-GRAM (G) Act accused of protecting corporate and contractor interests

•    New law alleged to weaken decentralised governance

•    Decision-making said to be imposed by the Centre without consulting states

•    Rights of Adivasis, women, backward classes and agrarian communities curtailed

•    Labourers allegedly placed under contractor control

•    States facing mounting fiscal stress due to central policies

•    VB-GRAM (G) Act accused of enabling large-scale corruption

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