Power shift in Karnataka

Curtains have come down on the year-long power tussle within the Indian National Congress in Karnataka with the incumbent chief minister Siddaramaiah submitting his resignation letter to the Governor’s office on Thursday. The chair to be vacated by him will now have his long-time deputy Mr. D. K. Shivakumar (DKS) who has the onerous task of leading the party through the Assembly election slated for April-May 2028.

DKS must thank his stars as the tussle which often appeared on the verge of turning into a factional feud was saved from being ugly by frequent timely intervention of the party High Command in Delhi. DKS now inherits the cherished throne with legislature party remaining intact and the High Command solidly standing behind him.

Having occupied the chief ministerial chair for eight years in two tenures—2013-2018 and 2023-26—Sid daramaiah leaves behind a long legacy of 45 years in Karnataka politics which saw him winning Assem bly elections nine times, holding important portfolios as minister under five chief ministers—Ramakrishna Hegde, S.R.Bommai, Devegowda, J.H.Patil and Dharamsing— presenting 17 state Budgets and heading the opposition for a full-five year term. 

Not one belonging to the two major com munities who have ruled the roost in the state, namely the Vokkaligas and Lingayaths, he single handedly built a new politico-ideological constituency known by its acronym AHINDA stitching together under-privileged castes and communities, representing revival of a phenomenon set in motion by legendary Devaraj Urs in the 1970s.

That he never aspired to have a role at the Centre has again been reaffirmed by politely refusing to have a nomi nation for the Rajya Sabha. While the Congress Party has opting to put a much younger DKS at the helms seems to be a wise move, the party’s performance will depend much on how the new incumbent leverages Siddaramaiah’s reputation and influence to advance the party’s cause.

The duo will constitute a formidable bulwark against the BJP where too a leadership tussle has been simmering ever since Vijayendra’s ascension has triggered allegation of dynastic stranglehold over the party. DKS’s rise raises a red flag for the JDS in southern Karnataka. His Vokkaliga strongman image is bound to trigger a race for the community’s votes in Cauvery basin districts where Deve Gowda and his family have been posing fierce opposition to the Congress.

DKS ascent to the high chair have set off alarm bells within the NDA where BJP and the JDS have been pursuing the com mon cause of dislodging the Congress ever since the latter stormed to power with a massive majority in 2023 elections. Traditional rivalry between Deve Gowda fam ily and DKS is all likely to heat up political atmosphere in the Vokkaliga heartland to woo the community’s votes.