Udupi, (The Hindu):D.K. Shivakumar, Energy Minister and chairman of State Congress Campaign Committee, said on Wednesday that he would not like to speculate on the reasons behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi praising former PM H.D. Deve Gowda.

Speaking to presspersons here after visiting the Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple, Mr. Shivakumar said that what Mr. Modi and BJP president Amit Shah said to Mr. Gowda was left to them. Mr. Gowda had already stated his position vis-à-vis the BJP. “He has given the requisite guidance to his son and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy. We can comment on their public statement, not on their internal issues and calculations,” he said.

Asked if Mr. Gowda then was in favour of Congress party, Mr. Shivakumar said that he did not know. “You (the media) can analyse Mr. Gowda’s statements. Let others do what they want to. I am confident that the Congress will get over 130 seats in the elections,” he said.

On the PM not visiting the Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple on May 1 and Chief Minister Siddarmaiah too not visiting it despite his four or five trips to Udupi district, Mr. Shivakumar said Mr. Modi not visiting the temple was his personal matter and he would not like to say anything on it. Though Mr. Siddaramaiah had not visited the Sri Krishna Temple, he had not closed down the Muzrai Department. In fact, the Congress government had strengthened the Muzrai Department. “We believe in taking all religions and castes together with us,” he said.

On the reported move to bring the Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple under the Muzrai Department some years ago, Mr. Shivakumar said that there was no such move at all. “We will maintain the status quo. What has been going on since many years will continue. We are not going to take over any institution. We have no intention of causing pain to anyone,” he said.

On the Income Tax Department raid on Congress candidate for Sirsi Assembly Constituency, he said that such raids were being selectively conducted on Congress leaders and supporters.