DK Shivakumar Explains PM Modi and Gautam Adani Meetings

Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has responded to questions about two meetings that recently attracted considerable attention, one with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mysuru and another with industrialist Gautam Adani in Bengaluru.

The clarification came during a media interaction held after Shivakumar completed 100 days in his current phase of administration. A journalist asked the Chief Minister about his interaction with Adani and the significance of his conversation with Modi during an event in Mysuru.

Addressing the questions, Shivakumar said there was nothing unusual about meeting Adani. He pointed out that he is the Chief Minister of Karnataka and that Adani has been known to him for several years.

According to Shivakumar, the industrialist has business interests in Karnataka involving areas such as electricity, cement and infrastructure. He also referred to his own experience in the energy department while explaining why such meetings take place.

Shivakumar said that when an entrepreneur wants to meet the Chief Minister to discuss business or investment related matters, it would not be appropriate for him to simply refuse the meeting. He argued that companies operating within the law cannot be prevented from approaching the state government.

The Chief Minister also rejected suggestions that his meeting with Adani should be viewed as unusual because of political criticism directed at the industrialist by Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi.

Shivakumar said he regularly meets people from different backgrounds and political parties. He added that he also meets BJP leaders when circumstances require it and questioned why his interaction with a business leader should become a controversy.

According to him, investment and development remain important priorities for Karnataka. He said that when global tenders and major projects are involved, industry representatives may naturally seek meetings with the state government.

The Adani meeting had attracted attention after the industrialist visited Bengaluru and held discussions with Shivakumar. The interaction became a talking point in political and media circles, particularly because of the wider political debate surrounding Adani.

Shivakumar maintained that his meeting was connected to his responsibilities as the Chief Minister and did not require any political interpretation.

The Chief Minister was also asked about his brief interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an event in Mysuru in August. After the programme, Modi was seen holding Shivakumar by the hand and taking him slightly aside for a conversation.

The visual immediately generated curiosity because Karnataka is governed by the Congress while Modi is the senior leader of the BJP. Questions were raised about what the two leaders had discussed away from the main stage.

Shivakumar offered his own account of the conversation. He said they spoke about Karnataka, the country, humanity and the ideas associated with Swami Vivekananda.

He also suggested that Modi appeared to understand the points he had presented and the request he had made. Shivakumar described the interaction as a matter of human relations rather than something that should be viewed through a purely political lens.

In a lighthearted remark, the Chief Minister said Modi may have been impressed by his presentation and suggested that the Prime Minister might have felt there were not many people like him within his own party.

Shivakumar further referred to the way Modi interacted with him during the Mysuru event. He said he had not often seen the Prime Minister hold the hand of his own party colleagues or place a hand on their shoulder while speaking with them.

The Mysuru interaction and Adani meeting therefore became separate topics during the media interaction, although both had generated considerable public discussion.

Shivakumar used the opportunity to stress that his position as Chief Minister requires him to interact with a wide range of people. Business leaders, political figures and other stakeholders may approach the government on matters involving Karnataka, he said.

His comments also came as his government marked 100 days, providing an opportunity for the media to question him on political developments and his interactions with prominent national figures.

The Chief Minister did not indicate that either meeting represented a change in his political position. Instead, he presented both interactions as part of his responsibilities and personal engagement with people from different backgrounds.

The remarks are likely to keep attention on the relationship between state governments, business groups and leaders from rival political parties. For Shivakumar, however, the message was that meetings alone should not be treated as evidence of political alignment.