Kanakapura (Karnataka) [India], July 6 (ANI): Karnataka's Rambapuri seer Rajadeshikendra Shivacharya on Sunday praised the efforts of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to strengthen the party and the state and said that the Deputy Chief Minister deserved a higher position after the last elections.

Speaking at an event organised to inaugurate the steps at the Siddeshwaraswamy hills in Kanakapura taluk, he said, 'He should have got a higher position after the last elections. May he get a higher position in the days to come.'

'The people of Karnataka are aware of his hard work in securing a sweeping majority for the party in the state. The agreement among national leaders, CM Siddaramaiah and DCM DK Shivakumar, is only known to them. Political leaders will be respected if they respect the arrangement they had before the national leaders,' he said.

'We are witnessing many Congress leaders talking about leadership in the state. If the national leaders clear the air, it would settle the issue for the people as well as satisfy D K Shivakumar. Asking him to relinquish the KPCC presidency until he becomes the CM is not a very principled approach by the senior leaders,' he added.

Urging party leaders to 'clear the air' about leadership in the party amid the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

'There is no doubt that he would do so if they hold their end of the bargain. It is important that the national leaders clear the air, there is no point of other leaders making statements about it. People must keep their word in politics. We all have seen what happened with the BJP in the past,' he said.

'When he did not get what he deserved after the last election, D K Shivakumar gracefully accepted the DCM's position and is doing a good job. The Congress leaders in the state and in the Centre must give the opportunity to him as per the agreement. Then, only his hard work and contributions to the party will have meaning. May he work for the welfare of the people of the state,' he added.

Talking about certain politicians creating rifts between castes and religion, he called for Shivakumar to take strict action against them.

He said, 'There are some politicians who are creating rift between castes and religions. I hope that a leader like DK Shivakumar will take stringent action on such things.' (ANI)