On Saturday in Bengaluru, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy responded to Congress MLA K.N. Rajanna’s claim that the Vokkaliga community would continue to back former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, saying the statement was “not an exaggeration” and noting that the community has supported his father for the past 30 years.
Kumaraswamy added that while many Vokkaligas have approached him to allow Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, also a Vokkaliga, to govern freely, the community’s loyalty remains with Deve Gowda, not the sitting chief minister. He stressed that support for a chief minister should not be caste‑driven and that the office must serve all 6.5 crore residents of Karnataka.
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The minister also used the platform to challenge Home, IT and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge on the pending clarification of 24 Assistant Executive Engineer appointments through the Karnataka Public Service Commission, and questioned whether the state’s NICE project is complying with Supreme Court and High Court directives on land allocation.
