'Totally personal': Shivakumar dismisses reports about meeting Kamala Harris, Obama during US visit

Bengaluru, Sep 8 (IANS) Deputy Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Sunday dismissed reports which suggested that he would meet Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Barack Obama during his visit to the US, adding that the trip was "totally personal". 

"I am travelling to the US along with my family till September 15. Reports hinting that I would be meeting former US President Barack Obama and US Vice President Kamala Harris are incorrect. It is a personal visit," Shivakumar said in a press statement.

The senior Congress leader said that he was visiting the US along with his family.

Several rumours, speculation and reports recently mentioned that Shivakumar is scheduled to have interactive sessions with Harris as well as Obama.

The Deputy CM, meanwhile, also released a letter that he had written to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, regarding his visit to the US.

"As I have already informed, I will be proceeding to Washington on September 8 evening on a private visit and I will be back on September 16," the letter read.

Earlier, talking about the US visit, Shivakumar told the media: "This is a private programme which I am attending with my family."

There were reports and speculation that during his US trip, Shivakumar would meet Vice President Harris and former US President Obama.

The reports also claimed that the meetings are expected to take place in New York, with a private one-on-one discussion with Harris. A similar one-on-one meeting with Obama was also planned, reports claimed.

Sources suggested that the invitation reportedly came directly from Kamala Harris and other Democratic Party leaders. However, Shivakumar has rejected the reports as rumours.

Harris was catapulted to the race for the White House after President Joe Biden announced his sudden withdrawal from the race, just months before the election, after questions about his health and endorsed her as his successor.

--IANS

mka/pgh