Old-timer Sidda or troubleshooter DK? Dilemma stays

Aditi Tandon/Shubhadeep Choudhury

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 17

Congress’ dilemma over the appointment of Karnataka Chief Minister persists with top contenders, former CM Siddaramaiah and state unit president DK Shivakumar, digging in heels and the party intensifying parleys to strike a consensus. Though Siddaramaiah appears the frontrunner, Congress general secretary (Karnataka) RS Surjewala said deliberations were still on.

Asking for “BJP-propelled rumours” to be disregarded, he said: “It is a matter of today and tomorrow and we will have a Congress Legislature Party leader. Within the next 48 to 72 hours, we will have a new Cabinet and at the first Cabinet meeting, we will implement five guarantees and begin work on rebuilding grand Karnataka.” Surjewala also issued an ultimatum to leaders saying, “Any out-of-turn remarks on the issue will be treated as indiscipline and action taken accordingly.” This, as Siddaramaiah’s supporters poured milk on his posters in celebratory rituals and DK Suresh publicly demanded CM-ship for brother Shivakumar.

Surjewala said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge believed in “consensus, unanimity and unity and will announce a decision after due deliberations.”

Meanwhile, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi met Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar separately. After the meeting, Shivakumar said there was “no discussion on anything, only courtesies were exchanged.” He will stay in Delhi tonight just as Siddaramaiah, indicating that matters are far from resolved.

Shivakumar is learnt to have been offered rotational CM-ship with Siddaramaiah, 75, taking the first tenure on grounds of age. Shivakumar, 61, may also be offered deputy CM’s post, with sources saying two Deputy CMs may also be considered. Shivakumar however wants to be CM and otherwise prefers to remain an ordinary MLA. He may also want the rotational CM formula announced considering it was not honoured in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

For the Congress, it’s a difficult balancing act as both candidates have their strengths. Eight term MLA Shivakumar has repeatedly steered the Congress out of crises. In 2001, he flew some Maharashtra MLAs to Bengaluru and helped save the then Vilasrao Deshmukh-led state government. In 2017, Shivakumar hosted 44 Gujarat Congress MLAs in Bengaluru until the voting day and helped Sonia Gandhi’s aide Ahmed Patel’s Rajya Sabha election.

In 2018, Shivakumar outmanoeuvred the BJP with resort politics and the Congress-JD(S) formed the government. Again this time, Shivakumar, a Vokkaliga stalwart, swung JD(S) stronghold Old Mysuru in Congress’ favour, yielding huge results.

Siddaramaiah has had his way ever since he joined the Congress in 2006 after quitting the JD(S). A nine-term MLA, Siddaramaiah, had outpaced even Mallikarjun Kharge in CM’s race in 2013. Earlier when BJP formed its first government in the state in 2008, Siddaramaiah became Leader of Opposition. “Siddaramaiah’s pan Karnataka appeal, presence among Muslims, OBCs and SCs and ability to swing votes across segments cannot be ignored on the 2024 Lok Sabha election eve,” a Congress insider said.

Shivakumar, however, grudges the repeated loss of CM’s chair. In 2018, the Congress offered CM’s post to the JD(S) edging Shivakumar out of the race. From 2013 to 2018, Siddaramaiah became the second CM in Karnataka (after Congress’ Devraj Urs) to complete a full term and Shivakumar again lost out. As for Siddaramaiah’s “this is my last election” take being cited in his favour, leaders say the veteran took this pledge in 2013 and 2018 elections too.

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