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BJP leader R Ashok taking a dig at Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar questioned whether he would follow the advice of his astrologer to “snatch” the Chief Minister’s post.
Ashok, who is also the Leader of Opposition, referring to an astrologer who is said to have advised Shivakumar, said, “I meet the same astrologer who told DK Shivakumar to grab the Chief Minister’s chair by January, as his time will not be favourable after that.” He mockingly asked if Shivakumar would “snatch the Chief Minister’s post before or after January.”
The comments were made during the Winter Session of the state legislature in Belagavi on Thursday, in response to Shivakumar’s revelation about his previous political induction, inspired by astrological advice. Shivakumar, while offering condolences on the death of former Chief Minister SM Krishna, had shared an anecdote about how he secured a cabinet position as the Urban Development minister in the SM Krishna government from 1999 to 2004.
“I called up an astrologer from Dwarkanath, and he said that if I wanted authority, I would have to snatch it,” Shivakumar said, recounting how the astrologer’s guidance drove him to insist on his inclusion in the cabinet.
“I told SM Krishna that there would be no government without me. We supported you and made you not only the KPCC president but also the Chief Minister of Karnataka. There would be no swearing in without my inclusion in the cabinet.”
Shivakumar explained that he fought from 2 am to 6 am, even calling the then-governor to cancel the swearing-in ceremony unless he was made a minister.
The Deputy Chief Minister chose not to respond to Ashok’s remarks. However, the exchange riles up speculations about Shivakumar’s ambitions of becoming the Chief Minister.
