Catch 22—Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are both crucial for Congress’ Karnataka strategy
Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala is currently in Karnataka for what is being called a feedback-cum-review exercise to evaluate the performance of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led government. Surjewala, himself, called it purely an organisational exercise
Congress leaders also insist that there was “no plan to replace Siddaramaiah with DK Shivakumar.” On Monday, the duo also posed hand in hand to dispel speculations of a rift. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the “party high command has got the power” to take a call on change in leadership while Surjewala dismissed speculations as “figment of the media’s imagination”.
However, those familiar with the political happenings in the key southern state insist that the struggle for the top post in Karnataka is “very real”, on which both “Congress high command Congress” and rival BJP were keeping a close watch. Surjewala is trying hard to convince MLAs loyal to Shivakumar, some of whom have been openly claiming that the “majority of legislators want Siddaramaiah to step down,” they claim.
The fact is Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are both critical for Congress in Karnataka plans.
Coming from a humble background, the two-time CM is one of the leading backward-class leaders of the Congress, having carved a special place for himself in state politics with his Ahinda (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes, and Dalits) vote base. Therefore removing Siddaramaiah may not send a good message or prove to be a very good strategy in mind Congress’ caste balance in the key southern state.
Shivakumar, meanwhile, comes from the influential Vokkaliga community and is credited with swinging the votes of the community to help Congress defeat the ruling BJP in the last Assembly elections. He expected to be rewarded with the CM post but had to settle as Siddaramaiah’s deputy.
As someone who has been a favourite “trouble shooter” for the Congress, his organising skills have helped keep flock whether it was when the then Maharashtra Chief Minister late Vilasrao Deshmukh faced the trust vote or when late Ahmed Patel was contesting Rajya Sabha elections in Gujarat. Shivakumar was also one of the observers appointed for Himachal Pradesh in 2024 to resolve the crisis when a key MLA resigned.
Leaders close to Siddaramaiah dismiss it as “figment of imagination” but according to Shivakumar loyalists, there was an agreement at the high command level that there would be a change in leadership after two and a half years in Karnataka. They also insist that Surjewala is “evaluating” the performance of the Siddaramaih government and ministers to help the high command make the next move.
