I always live with hope, confidence; time will answer: Shivakumar on leadership issue

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, who returned from New Delhi after meeting the Congress high command amid the leadership tussle in the state, on Friday said he lives with “hope and confidence” and that there will always be fruit for the efforts made.

He also reiterated that “time will answer”, in the wake of reports that both he and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah may soon be called to New Delhi by the party leadership to discuss a possible transition of power.

“I always live with hope and confidence. There will always be fruit for the effort, whether it is for you, for me, or for anyone else. Where there is effort, there is fruit; where there is devotion, there is God,” Shivakumar told reporters in response to a question after returning from New Delhi.

Asked whether the fruit of his efforts could be expected soon, he said, “Let’s talk about that some other time.”

Responding to reports that both he and Siddaramaiah would be summoned to New Delhi around February 17 by the Congress high command to discuss a possible power transition, Shivakumar said, “I don’t know. Let’s see. Time will answer everything.”

Shivakumar met senior party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, as well as AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, during his New Delhi visit.

On Thursday, the Deputy CM had told reporters in Delhi that the leadership issue was not discussed with the party’s top brass, but added that “patience will also pay”. He had said the party’s central leadership would take a call at an appropriate time in the interest of the state.