Amid chief minister change buzz, Shivakumar calls dinner meet

Bengaluru: Amid renewed speculation over a possible change in chief minister, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar will host a dinner for Congress MLAs on March 10, to mark the completion of six years as state Congress president.At a press conference Tuesday, Shivakumar said the dinner for Congress MLAs will be held at a top hotel in Bengaluru, and a separate dinner meeting would be hosted for opposition MLAs.
The dinner meeting is significant since discussions of a change of CM have resurfaced in the state unit of Congress. It is unclear who would be invited. Camps aligned to CM Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have reportedly been holding separate meetings, even as some party functionaries have urged the high command to step in and end the speculation.Asked whether he would attend the dinner, Virajpet MLA and Siddaramaiah's legal adviser AS Ponnanna said, "I finish my dinner by 6pm. Besides, I am sure, DK Shivakumar will not invite me." Shivakumar, who also holds the water resources portfolio, said Karnataka would firmly defend its stand on the Upper Krishna project before the Centre but avoid pushing the issue into prolonged litigation.He alleged that the Andhra govt was obstructing Karnataka's move to raise the height of the Almatti dam. "I request the Centre to immediately intervene and act in accordance with earlier orders," he said. Shivakumar said Andhra had opposed granting permission to raise the Almatti dam height from 519m to 524.2m and had prevented a gazette notification from being issued. He appealed to both Andhra and Maharashtra not to interfere in the matter.Referring to objections raised by Andhra over Karnataka's move to acquire 1.3 lakh acres for the project, he said, "A clear judgment was delivered on Dec 31, 2010, permitting Karnataka to construct the dam up to 524.2 metres. It is our water, it is our right, and it is our land."He said two meetings called by the Jal Shakti minister were postponed following objections from neighbouring states.The state cabinet last year cleared land acquisition for phase three of the project, with compensation ranging between Rs 35 lakh and Rs 40 lakh per acre. The cost is estimated at Rs 70,000 crore. Shivakumar said Karnataka would place the facts before the Centre and may lead an all-party delegation to New Delhi soon.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Holi wishes, messages and quotes !