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Some of Siddaramaiah’s cabinet colleagues, who don’t align with either camp, emphasise the importance of DK Shivakumar’s contributions
The Kuruba leader received a lifeline when he joined the Congress and won a by-election, returning to the Vidhan Soudha. (File image: PTI)
The Kuruba leader received a lifeline when he joined the Congress and won a by-election, returning to the Vidhan Soudha. Since then, he has held various positions, culminating in two terms as chief minister.
In 2008, despite competition from senior Congress leaders, Siddaramaiah was appointed Leader of the Opposition. He served a full term and led a padyatra to Ballari to expose illegal mining by the Reddy brothers. When Congress came to power in 2013, Siddaramaiah became Chief Minister, surpassing contenders like Mallikarjun Kharge and DK Shivakumar. Shivakumar had openly expressed his ambition for the CM post, stating, “I am not a swami ji, I too have ambitions.” Siddaramaiah completed a full five-year term with the support of the Congress high command.
However, he failed to ensure the Congress’s victory in the 2018 assembly elections. Despite this, he was appointed Coordination Committee Chief when the Congress-JD(S) government was formed, lasting until 2019. After the coalition government fell, Siddaramaiah resumed his role as Leader of the Opposition until 2023.
The Congress entered the 2023 assembly elections under a collective leadership slogan, with DK Shivakumar contributing his organisational and financial prowess. This resulted in a historic mandate for the party, and Siddaramaiah once again became Chief Minister, surpassing Shivakumar and others. This leadership tussle has sparked a debate within the party about rewarding old-timers versus late entrants.
“Some may bring votes, some may bring financial power, while others might excel at strategy; you need all these to win an election. Collective leadership must be rewarded at every level, including the grassroots,” said former MP VS Ugrappa.
Some of Siddaramaiah’s cabinet colleagues, who don’t align with either camp, emphasise the importance of DK Shivakumar’s contributions. “The high command values both leaders. Siddaramaiah has received significant support from the party and respects Rahul Gandhi. Similarly, the Gandhis recognise DK Shivakumar’s sacrifices for the party. Despite the opportunity to join the BJP, he chose the difficult path, which cannot be ignored,” said an unnamed minister.
Political analysts note the diminishing returns of loyalty in modern politics. “Many loyal leaders don’t even become ministers or MLAs, let alone chief minister. There are hundreds of such individuals within the Congress party,” said senior journalist Ramakrishna Upadhya.
The Congress high command faces a tough decision that could send a strong message to leaders across the country.
About the Author
Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India’s space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and R…Read More
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