DKS in Turkey, Sidddu Has Cosy Dinner With Cabinet

It's back to camp politics, say analysts; Oppn leaders taunt Shivakumar, term it a 'show of strength' by the CM

- Devaraj B Hirehalli & Naushad Bijapur @ Bengaluru/Belagavi

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his cabinet colleagues, mostly Dalit ministers, had dinner at PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi's residence on Thursday. Nothing remarkable, except that the get-together happened at a time when Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is on a personal trip to Turkey.

It is being interpreted as camp politics, and attempts at political one-upmanship to counter Shivakumar, who appears to have outfoxed the Siddaramaiah camp, especially Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara and Belagavi district minister Satish Jarkiholi.

The issue in point is BJP MLC CT Ravi's alleged derogatory remarks on Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, when he sent out a message that he is the CM-in-waiting.