PTI
Belagavi
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday dismissed reports of having a political dinner meeting with MLAs, asserting that his visit was purely personal and driven by affection from party colleagues.
Shivakumar and over 30 Congress legislators, including some ministers, met for a dinner late on Thursday night.
Ministers KH Muniyappa, Mankal Vaidya, Dr MC Sudhakar, MLAs NA Haris, Ramesh Bandisiddegowda, HC Balakrishna, Ganesh Hukkeri, Darshan Dhruvanarayana, Ashok Kumar Rai, KY Nanjegowda were among those present in the meeting, the sources added.
Expelled BJP MLAs ST Somashekhar and Shivaram Hebbar also attended the dinner, they said.
The dinner meeting came a day after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, along with ministers and a few legislators considered close to him, met for a dinner hosted by former Belagavi North MLA Feroz Sait.
Though leaders term it a “casual dinner meeting”, speculation is rife as it had taken place amid a power tussle in the ruling party, over the CM post.
Shivakumar said it now a show of strength and asked his supporters not to speak on his behalf.
Speaking to reporters here, he said he often received informal meal invitations from party workers and long-time associates, and attended them as a matter of courtesy rather than political intent.
“Friends from the region affectionately call me for lunch or dinner. How can I say no? It is not any dinner meet, but I have to go when I am invited.”
