The counting of the votes for the Karnataka Assembly polls has shown that the Congress party is set to win a comfortable majority. The voting took place on Wednesday, May 10, with the counting taking place on May 13. The major battle for Congress, however, lies ahead and it is about the choice of the chief minister. Former chief minister Siddharamaiah and the Karnataka State Congress president DK Shivakumar are two prominent aspirants in the party for the coveted post.
Siddaramaiah, a veteran Congress leader, recently stated that if the Congress party were to come into power, it would mark his final election. He expressed his intention to retire from politics after representing his native constituency of Varuna, where he is leading against his rival BJP candidate V Somanna. Siddaramaiah said, “I am retiring from politics. I desire to represent my native constituency and place and retire.”
Siddaramaiah held the position of Chief Minister of Karnataka for a period of five years, spanning from 2013 to 2018. Prior to that, during the previous BJP government, he served as the leader of the Opposition. Ahead of the counting of votes, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, the son of Siddaramaiah, expressed strong confidence that his father would secure an “absolute majority” and assume the position of Chief Minister, which according to him is in the best interest of the state.
DK Shivakumar, an eight-time MLA representing the Kanakapura constituency, is also a formidable contender for the position of Chief Minister in Karnataka. Notably, he is recognized as one of the wealthiest politicians in the region, possessing a strong support base. As his party appeared to be on the verge of forming the next government in the state, Shivakumar, a loyalist of the party, became overwhelmed with emotions and broke down on Saturday afternoon. Expressing gratitude, Shivakumar extended his thanks to the party cadre and workers for their contributions towards the election results.
While this whole appearance was coherent with him being the state president of the party, he also took the opportunity to show his loyalty towards the Gandhi family – an important criterion to achieve anything in Congress. Overwhelmed with emotion, Shivakumar expressed his deep gratitude towards Sonia Gandhi for her visit to him in jail during his imprisonment. He said, “I can’t forget Sonia Gandhi visiting me in jail…when BJP people put me in jail.”
Shivakumar had made a significant contribution to the Congress win, and with the party having achieved remarkable success in the Old Mysuru Region, it would be difficult to overlook his candidacy for the post. Notably, DK Shivakumar was in ED custody in 2019 for over 50 days in connection with an alleged money laundering case.
Siddaramaiah, belonging to the disadvantaged Kuruba community, along with a Dalit serving as the party president, adds to the narrative of the Congress as a party that prioritizes the welfare of marginalized communities. This aspect might help the party in the upcoming Lok Sabha election as well. In the last Lok Sabha election, BJP secured 15 seats from the state. Congress would definitely like to try Siddharamaiah once again and see if it helps in Lok Sabha polls. Siddharamaiah also has a strong hold on many MLAs in the state.
However, DK Shivakumar is close to the party’s high command sitting in Delhi. He is a Gandhi family loyalist. This has also earned him support from various state leaders who strive to be in the good books of the Gandhis. At the time of conflicts in the Maharashtra and Rajasthan units of the party, it was DK Shivakumar who arranged resorts for the MLAs to stay. These capabilities and the humility he showcased on camera as he thanked the cadre, bring him to the frontline of the CM race.
The grand old party may also think of a CM and deputy-CM formula. However, the same policy applied with Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot in Rajasthan led to constant clashes in the state unit. Pilot was eventually removed from the post by Congress. Similarly, Jyotiraditya Scindhia was sidelined by the Congress party while giving the CM post to Kamal Nath in Madhya Pradesh.
While the victory in the southern state has boosted the confidence of the party, it would certainly not want any similar problem to arise in Karnataka that may end up helping BJP. The decision for the party leadership is thus a tough one, and a very important one.
