Why worries over Siddaramaiah's full-term in office, asks Shivakumar

Bengaluru, Jan 28 : Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday wondered why there had been worries over Chief Minister Siddaramaiah completing his full-term of five years in office.

Responding to a question while interacting with the media, Shivakumar said: "He is the Chief Minister, why are you worried about it now?"

According to political analysts, the response assumes importance as Shivakumar did "answer in a convincing" fashion, as Shivakumar's "camp" has claimed that Siddaramaiah will be the CM for a 2.5 year-term.

Asked if the Congres High Command changed the Boards and Corporations appointment list, Shivakumar said: "High Command has not changed any list. It has approved the list sent by us."

Shivakumar said the appointments to Boards and Corporations were done only after taking everyone's opinion.

He further said: "The Chief Minister, General Secretary and myself had thoroughly discussed the choices. Many leaders had even given letters recommending certain people for the positions, but we can't make the letters public."

Asked about ex-CM Jagadish Shettar's statement that it is natural to switch parties, he said: "We have also been saying the same thing. Politics is not stagnant water. People come and go and it won't affect the party."

Replying to a claim by the BJP that the guarantee schemes will be stopped after the general elections, he said: "The Congress will not discontinue them but BJP will surely stop the guarantee schemes if they come to power in the Centre."