Mangaluru (Karnataka) [India], February 7 : Stating that the Secretary from the Union government was the head of the metro fare fixation committee, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday said that no one has asked for his opinion on the metro fare hike.
Speaking to reporters in Mangaluru and at his Sadashivanagar residence, he said, "How is the state government responsible for the metro fare hike? The fare fixation committee is headed by a secretary appointed by the Centre. You can make me responsible for the hike if I have signed any file relating to it. No file on the fare hike has come to me. I will discuss it with BMRCL officials on Monday. We don't want to inconvenience the general public. I will review the financial situation," while replying to criticism from the BJP that the state government was responsible for the fare hike.
Asked about the BJP's comments that the fares were going up in view of the state government not giving financial assistance to BMRCL, the DCM said, "Let the BJP first say what it has done for the state?"
Asked about MP Tejaswi Surya's statement on how metro fares could go up without the state government's approval, he said, "Poor guy, he doesn't have enough experience. He is limited to only tweets and statements before the media. Let him not blabber. Has he got anything from the Centre for the state? Let's not talk about 'empty trunk'."
"We have to listen to the party," said Shivakumar when pointed out that people want to see him as the CM, adding, "Both the people and the legislators want to see that happen. You (media) want it too. We have to go by what the party says."
Asked about Dalit organisations wanting Home Minister Parameshwar to become the CM, the DCM said, "Followers and fans obviously want to see their leaders as CM. I can't tell them not to do it."
Asked if the leadership change would happen after the State budget, he said, "Time will answer."