Congress is like an ocean, anyone’s exit won’t affect party: Shivakumar

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday said that Congress is like an ocean and no matter who exits, the party won’t get affected.

“BJP is trying to pull everyone and not sparing anyone. We are also familiar with the act. If we had to do the same, many would have been pulled into the party,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.

He said that former chief Minister Jagadish Shettar had joined Congress after making allegations against BJP as he was worried over the internal fighting there.

“Shettar lost the assembly elections by 35,000 votes on the Congress ticket. Even though we had nominated him as a MLC,” the Deputy Chief Minister said while addressing the media at the Congress office in Bengaluru.

In a major development, former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who had joined the Congress before the 2023 Assembly election, rejoined the BJP on Thursday.

“Our party has won 136 seats. We have lost 7 to 8 seats due to our own mistakes. Even now many are looking forward to joining the party,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.

“We carry out politics on ideologies and morals. The leaders from Belagavi and other regions have opined that exit of Shettar is a good development for the party. Shettar was given an opportunity keeping long term interests in mind. He must answer for his statements against the BJP. We need not speak about them. The post vacated by his exit would be given to a Congress loyalist,” Shivakumar said.

He said that upholding the Indian Constitution is the primary objective of the Congress party.

“It is a national scripture. The history of India is all about the history of the Congress party. If Congress comes to power people of all sections would get power. The party will take everyone along,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.

“We are inching close to elections. The debate is on in the media. INDIA bloc will face election unitedly,” he stated.

He attacked former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy that he was made the chief minister by the party and now he has become the spokesperson of the BJP.

He said that he had taken the advice of AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge that in future people with ideology should be welcomed into the party.