Won't backstab or blackmail: Shivakumar amid K'taka CM race

Congress Karnataka president DK Shivakumar, one of the frontrunners for the post of Chief Minister of the southern state on Tuesday made it clear that he would not resort to "backstabbing or blackmail" regardless of the party's decision.

"If the party wants they can give me the responsibility....... Ours is a united house, our number is 135. I don't want to divide anyone here. Whether they like me or not, I am a responsible man. I will not backstab and I will not blackmail," DK Shivakumar told ANI.

The Congress won 135 seats in the recently held election to the 224-member Karnataka assembly.

Shivakumar earlier today arrived at the Bengaluru airport ahead of his departure for Delhi amid ongoing talks in the Congress party for the next Karnataka CM.

The Karnataka Congress president will meet the party's high command ahead of the party's announcement on the top post.

"The party is my god...We have built this party, I am a part of it and I am not alone in this," he said before his departure from Bengaluru.

"We have built this party (Congress), we have built this house. I am a part of it...A mother will give everything to her child," he said.

Asked about his expectations as the state party president, Shivakumar said," I don't want to comment on what has happened earlier. How it happened. That is a closed chapter we formed the government we lost the government, we lost a coalition government. Who is responsible for the victory and loss there is no use of talking about it now. Let us not sell this story... let us sell the future."

Congress leader Siddaramaiah, the other frontrunner for the chief minister's post, arrived in the national capital on Monday.

Shivakumar, who celebrated his birthday yesterday had stayed behind in Bengaluru citing a stomach infection. Both he and Siddaramaiah had been called to Delhi by the top leadership of the AICC for a discussion. The Congress won 135 seats in the 224-member Karnataka assembly.