Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar on Sunday claimed that he was the one who informed about the illness of the then Chief Minister, the late Veerendra Patil, to the then Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi, in 1989.
“It was during the riots in Ramanagara and Channapatna that Rajiv Gandhi held a peace meeting. Later when he asked me what was happening, I informed him about the illness of Patil, who had suffered a paralytic stroke. Next day when there was a discussion on the change of leadership at Kumara Krupa, some of us indicated the name of the late S. Bangarappa,” he said here at a function organised to mark the death anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi. Later, he said, “When we intimated the developments at Kumara Krupa to Bangarappa at his residence, he scolded us. But we had offered the suggestion only keeping in view of the health of Patil.”
Claiming that Rajiv Gandhi was not a person who troubled anyone, Mr. Shivakumar said: “At the airport, Rajiv Gandhi announced that the Chief Minister would be changed in the light of Patil’s illness. Some accused that Patil was insulted. However, we (Congress) appointed him as the KPCC president and got a mandate of 179 seats under him. He became the Chief Minister, but a decision had to be taken due to his health condition.”
