Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday dismissed rumours suggesting he was eyeing a stake in the IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
“I am not a mad man. I’m just a member of the Karnataka Cricket Association from my younger days, that’s all,” Shivakumar told reporters. “I don’t have time, though I had offers to be part of the management. Why do I need RCB? I don’t even drink Royal Challenge,” he added, rubbishing social media chatter linking him to the franchise.
The clarification comes just a day after Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla launched scathing attacks on the Congress-led state government over the recent Bengaluru stampede that claimed 11 lives.
Poonawalla accused the government of making the police the “scapegoat” and said the administration had looted Karnataka with “fake promises” while shirking responsibility for the stampede. Joshi demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, citing their “irresponsible” approach. He said warnings by senior police officers, including a letter by the Deputy Commissioner of Police advising against holding large-scale celebrations within 24 hours of the IPL final, were ignored.
Despite the warnings, the event went ahead. Shivakumar himself was present during the celebrations. Following the tragedy, several top police officials, including the Cubbon Park Police Station head, were suspended. A judicial probe led by a retired High Court judge has been initiated by the state.
While Shivakumar dismissed rumours linking him to RCB ownership, the political fallout from the stampede continues to raise questions over the government’s priorities and preparedness.