Rahul Gandhi to visit Karnataka soon; party will decide on Nagendra’s resignation: CM Shivakumar
New Delhi/Bengaluru, Aug 27 (IANS) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is likely to visit Karnataka soon, while the party will take a decision on whether Minister for Planning and Statistics B. Nagendra should resign, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said on Thursday.
Addressing the media in Delhi, CM Shivakumar said he had met Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and discussed various issues concerning the state, the country and the Congress party.
“I had met Rahul Gandhi. Whatever needed to be spoken about, all in favour of the state, nation and party, we have discussed,” CM Shivakumar said, adding that the discussions also covered the recent meeting with Tamil Nadu and decisions taken in that regard.
He said Rahul Gandhi was expected to visit Karnataka and that the state government was planning a conference for gig workers in coordination with the Labour Department.
“Rahul Gandhi is coming to Karnataka. We are organising a gig workers’ conference in connection with the Labour Department. We need to discuss and fix the date soon,” he said.
CM Shivakumar said the government had prepared legislation aimed at benefiting gig workers and that Rahul Gandhi had offered suggestions on the issue.
“He has given suggestions and he will take up the issue at the national level. We will decide,” the Chief Minister said.
On the education policy, CM Shivakumar said the government was working on how school education and education policy should be structured in the state.
He said suggestions had recently been given by four Chief Ministers at the Congress Working Committee meeting and that he had attended the discussions.
“I have made a Cabinet sub-committee under the chairmanship of Minister U.T. Khader. Four ministers are part of it,” CM Shivakumar said.
The committee would consult experts and work towards ensuring that education remains affordable and that examinations are conducted transparently.
He said Rahul Gandhi and Congress President, Mallikarjun Kharge, had also given directions on the issue during the Working Committee discussions.
Asked about Minister for Planning and Statistics B. Nagendra, CM Shivakumar said the Congress party would take a decision on the issue after discussions.
Describing Nagendra as a loyal Congress leader and an asset to the party, CM Shivakumar said he was a four-time MLA and had been ready to make sacrifices for the party.
“He is very loyal to the party and is ready for any sacrifice. I have said this earlier. The party will discuss it and a decision will be made,” he said, accusing the BJP of politicising the issue.
CM Shivakumar also rejected allegations against Nagendra in connection with the alleged tribal welfare scam.
“There is no case against Minister Nagendra. It is an issue without an issue. There is no circumstance to bend to the Opposition,” he said.
He questioned why the Opposition was targeting Nagendra, claiming that although Rs 84 crore had been seized in the case, not a single rupee had been seized from the minister.
“No signature has been found and there is no order. They are unnecessarily creating issues,” Shivakumar said.
He further alleged that the BJP was targeting the government because the Congress had won all 17 Scheduled Tribe-reserved seats in the state.
On the demand for greater representation of women in the Cabinet, Shivakumar said the issue would certainly be discussed.
“We will certainly discuss. We will do it. There is time needed to breathe,” he said.
Reacting to the BJP’s proposed padayatra, Shivakumar said the government could not prevent the Opposition from holding a protest.
“We can’t stop the padayatra,” he said, while questioning the BJP-led NDA’s approach inside the Assembly.
He alleged that Opposition leaders had not followed proper procedure by issuing a notice and discussing the matter in the Assembly.
“If they had given notice and discussed the matter, I could have also spoken about their scams,” Shivakumar said.
–IANS
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