Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has cancelled his proposed visit to Davos, where he was scheduled to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) beginning January 18. The decision was taken due to pressing official and political responsibilities in New Delhi and Bengaluru, according to an official release. Shivakumar is attending a series of meetings with senior leaders of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in the national capital. He has been assigned key organisational responsibilities related to the upcoming Assam Assembly elections and is holding discussions as part of election preparations.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara confirmed that the Deputy Chief Minister’s visit to Delhi is purely organisational.
“He has gone to Delhi on the instructions of the AICC president. He has been given responsibility for the Assam elections, and the visit is for discussions related to that,” Parameshwara said.
MNREGA protest leads to special Assembly session
Shivakumar is also spearheading the Congress-led campaign against the Union government over issues related to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). As part of this protest, a five-day special session of the Karnataka Assembly is scheduled to begin from January 22.
During his stay in Delhi, Shivakumar is expected to meet senior Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. The meetings are likely to focus on election strategy and organisational matters.
World Economic Forum’s annual meeting
The World Economic Forum’s annual meeting will be held in Davos from January 19 to January 23 under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue”. The event will see participation from global leaders, policymakers and business heads to discuss major economic and geopolitical challenges
