Bengaluru (Karnataka)

Karnataka Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday said that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has arrived in the national capital on the instructions of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) president and has been entrusted with responsibilities related to the upcoming Assam Assembly elections.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Parameshwara clarified that Shivakumar's visit to Delhi is purely organisational in nature and aimed at election-related discussions.

"He has gone to Delhi on the instructions of the AICC president. He has been given the responsibility for the Assam elections, and he has gone there for discussions related to that. Besides this, I am not aware of any other matter," Parameshwara said.

DK Shivakumar is scheduled to meet senior Congress leaders in Delhi, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, later on Saturday.

Separately, responding to questions regarding the delay in the arrest of Congress leader Rajeev Gowda in connection with the Shidlaghatta case, Parameshwara said that a special team has been constituted to trace the accused.

"A team has been formed to trace Rajeev Gowda, and the team is searching for him. They will find him, arrest him, and bring him in," he said.

Parameshwara further stated that the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president has issued a notice to Rajeev Gowda and that the party leadership will take a decision on his future in the party. "The KPCC president has also issued a notice to Rajeev Gowda. Whether to retain him in the party or remove him will be decided by the party leadership," he added.

The alleged incident involves Congress leader Rajeev Gowda, accused of threatening the Shidlaghatta City Municipal Commissioner.

Furthermore, regarding the BJP's proposed protest in Ballari, G Parmeshwara said, "I am also aware of this matter. So far, we have not granted any permission. We have left the matter to the local police. We have instructed them to assess the situation and decide whether to grant permission. They will take the decision. The local police themselves must determine the situation there."

The BJP had planned a padyatra in Ballari on January 17 to protest against the Congress government over the January 1 violence in the district, during which a Congress worker named Rajshekar was killed amid clashes related to the unveiling of a Maharishi Valmiki statue.

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BJP MLA and former Karnataka minister G Janardhana Reddy alleged that Congress MLA Nara Bharath Reddy orchestrated the killing and demanded a CBI inquiry.

However, Reddy informed today that the yatra has been postponed and a new date will be announced after January 20, after the election of the party's National President.