Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday lost his cool and shouted at some Youth Congress workers who started raising slogans in favour of Deputy CM D K Shivakumar during a protest rally in the city.
Siddaramaiah, along with Shivakumar, Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, ministers, MPs and legislators took part in the protest condemning replacing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with a new rural employment scheme Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajivika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G).
As soon as the chief minister rose from his chair to address the gathering, Congress workers started shouting “DK, DK”. The sloganeering grew louder and louder as he reached the podium to deliver his speech.
Annoyed, the chief minister shouted at the Congress workers asking them to keep quiet, but they did not heed. “Who are those shouting ‘DK, DK’,” an angry Siddaramaiah asked the Congress leaders.
The compere told the crowd, “The Youth Congress leaders should keep quiet. The chief minister is addressing. We know who you are. Listen to the CM silently.”
They (workers) tried to interrupt Siddaramaiah even after he started his speech.
The ruling Congress in Karnataka has been a witness to the power tussle between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar and several party MLAs and MLCs have lobbied on behalf of the Deputy Chief Minister.
Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have said they would abide by the party high command’s decision.