Political leadership was an important issue in the Karnataka Assembly elections. It was also a demonstration of the authority structures of the national and regional leadership. Religious, ethical, communitarian, caste and cultural affiliations were at play. The media has tended to sensationalise the tensions and conflicts that arose in the representational arena, often characterising them as part of the naked pursuit of office. While personal ambitions cannot be ignored, these tensions often reflect the serious challenges faced by political parties.
The Congress campaign positioned the party as the upholder of democracy, social justice and constitutionalism and rallied against political exclusion, authoritarianism, centralisation of power, state partisanship, and corruption. This stance had a principled tilt towards regional leadership. For this, the Congress looked to Mallikarjun Kharge, Siddaramaiah, D K Shivakumar, M B Patil, Satish Jarkiholi and many others. They pooled together large social constituencies, which had been drifting towards the BJP for a while.
EXPRESS OPINION | In Karnataka, beyond D K Shivakumar vs Siddaramaiah
Who is Siddaramiah?
Former CM Siddaramiah was born in 1948 at Siddaramana Hundi, a remote village in Varuna Hobli of Mysuru District. Despite his humble origins, he graduated from Mysore University with a B. Sc. and went on to pursue a Bachelor of Law degree.
Who is DK Shivakumar?
The 60-year-old leader hails from the Vokkaliga community, largely concentrated in south Karnataka and making up around 15 per cent of the state’s population. He has been a part of the Congress since his youth. During his years in college, he joined the National Students Union of India, the student wing of the party.
Since then, he has risen through the ranks and been elected MLA seven times, contesting his first election from the Sathanur constituency when he was 27 years old.
With Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar set to take oath as the next chief minister and deputy chief minister of Karnataka today, follow our LIVE blog as we bring you the latest updates ? HERE
Amid talk of Opposition unity, the Congress has not invited either Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal or his Telangana counterpart K Chandrashekar Rao for the swearing-in of its Karnataka government on Saturday in Bengaluru.
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While the party has not reached out to the BSP’s Mayawati, BJD chief and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik and YSRCP supremo and Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy either, that was expected as the three parties have stayed away from any Opposition grouping. Read More
A young priest from Chhatarpur in Madhya Pradesh has emerged as the new Hindutva icon in the country. He claims that his mission is to build a Hindu Rashtra. When the priest, in his mid-20s, went to Bihar recently, tens of thousands – some even claimed millions – turned up to greet and listen to him. The RJD, a constituent in the ruling coalition, opposed his entry into Bihar. Yet, people from the party also lined up for the priest’s darshan.
While this new Hindutva mascot in north India is trying to infuse vigour into the Hindutva campaign, in another part of the country, some staunch Hindutva protagonists are disheartened by the election results and defeat of the BJP at the hustings in Karnataka. A senior Hindutva leader, who has been a legislator in Telangana, released a video message after the results were out, cursing Hindus of Karnataka for their “suicidal” decision. “How can we build the Hindu Rashtra with such Hindus around?,” he bemoaned.
Meanwhile, the international religious freedom lobby and several church groups unleashed a vicious campaign against the Indian government over the violence in Manipur earlier this month. Portraying the ethnic violence between Kukis and Meiteis as a Hindutva project against the Christian minority of the state, these groups attacked the Modi government, accusing it of pro-Hindutva bias.
What is this Hindutva and Hindu Rashtra campaign and what is its relevance from Manipur to Karnataka to Bihar? Ram Madav writes
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) on Friday criticised the Congress for not inviting Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to the swearing-in ceremony of Siddaramaiah as Karnataka’s CM, saying the move shows up the grand old party’s immature politics and weakness. Neighbouring Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister M K Stalin, among others, have been invited and will be attending the swearing in on May 20 in Bengaluru.
With the Karnataka swearing-in ceremony falling on the same day as the CET-2023 exams, students writing their papers in centres near Kantheerava stadium where the oath-taking is being held have been asked to report 2 hours before the scheduled time.
The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA), in a statement on Friday, stated that the authority has taken appropriate measures to ensure students reach the designated centres without delay. The steps have been taken anticipating traffic congestion around Kantheerava stadium on May 20. Read More
The Karnataka election results have brought cheer to many of our liberal friends. But the question remains: Will the change in government help the common people of Karnataka? Milind Sohoni, in his Opinion piece for The Indian Express, tries to answer this all-important question.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is among the many Opposition leaders who have been invited for the Karnataka CM’s swearing-in ceremony tomorrow, said: “The victory (for Congress in Karnataka) has been a resounding one. I'll be going tomorrow as both the CM-elect (Siddaramaiah) and Congress president (Mallikarjun Kharge) requested me to attend the swearing-in ceremony.”
If you are heading out in Bengaluru tomorrow, here’s the traffic advisory to keep in mind as the new chief minister of Karnataka and his Cabinet takes oath:
Talking about his trip to Delhi along with CM-designate Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar said that they had come to personally invite the senior Congress leaders. When asked as to which Opposition leaders have been invited for the swearing-in ceremony, he added: “Our first priority is inviting members of the Congress party and the Gandhi family for which we have come to Delhi. It is not about a CM or Deputy CM here, it is all about the Congress party and its guarantees made to the people. The senior leaders will decide on who’ll attend the ceremony.”
Following a four-day deadlock over the Chief Minister chair in Karnataka, the Congress central leadership on Thursday officially declared that Siddaramaiah will be the next Chief Minister of the state, while state unit president D K Shivakumar will be the only Deputy Chief Minister. But the party refused to reveal whether the agreement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar involved a term-sharing pact. Shivakumar, who was earlier insistent on a CM post, later settled for Deputy CM, but only on the condition that he be the sole one in the post, plus get important portfolios. Read More
In view of a clash in schedules between the Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET) on Saturday and the swearing-in ceremony of the new Karnataka government at Bengaluru’s Kanteerava Stadium, Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) director Ramya S has requested the Bengaluru traffic department to ensure a smooth and hassle-free commute for candidates arriving at St Joseph’s College. The request was made specifically for this particular examination centre considering its proximity to Kanteerava Stadium. Read more
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will not be attending the swearing-in ceremony of Congress leader Siddaramaiah as the Karnataka CM and has designated party leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar for the programme, TMC MP Derek O'Brien said.
Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony on Saturday, Karnataka CM-designate Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM-designate DK Shivakumar arrived in Delhi to discuss with the party's high command regarding Cabinet formation.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin is likely to leave for Bengaluru this evening to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Karnataka CM-designate Siddaramaiah, and his deputy DK Shivakumar, news agency PTI reported.
Leaders of several like-minded opposition parties are likely to attend the swearing in ceremony of Karnataka chief minister-designate Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday in Bengaluru. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has extended the invitation to several chief ministers and party leaders and personally invited them to the event.
Kharge has also invited Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. Invitations have also been sent to National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah. Click to know more
Soon after meeting Karnataka Deputy CM-designate DK Shivakumar at his Bengaluru residence, Congress MLA G Parameshwara said, "This is the time when we all have to work together. This is the time when we should forget our individual aspirations. This is the time when we should fulfill the promises made to people..."
Speaking to reporters, the former deputy CM said, "As I said, party is supreme. So, we need to look forward. There is 2024 Lok Sabha election. We have to consider those things as well".
Karnataka Chief Minister-designate Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar left for New Delhi today to discuss with the party's high command regarding the Ministers to be inducted into the new Karnataka cabinet and allocation of portfolios, news agency PTI reported.
"Siddaramaiah, Randeep Singh Surjewala (AICC General Secretary) and me will be going to Delhi, we will meet Mallikarjun Kharge (AICC President) to discuss the first stage of cabinet expansion and decide about it," Shivakumar said, before leaving for the national capital.
As the first non-Gandhi Congress president in 20-plus years, Mallikarjun Kharge can never escape scrutiny nor expect less than a tightrope walk in a crisis. Many in the party admit they were sceptical about his ability to take the decisions expected of him while avoiding the slightest of frictions with the Gandhi family.
On Thursday, he deftly steered the Congress past the leadership tussle that threatened to smear its fairytale victory in Karnataka. And this was the second time the veteran had managed to balance contrasting egos after Himachal – where the peace has prevailed — thus proving he is his own man, as well as confident enough to take the counsel of the Gandhis, especially Sonia and Rahul, when needed. Must Read
A day before their swearing-in ceremony, Karnataka Chief Minister-designate Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM-designate DK Shivakumar left to New Delhi.
By the wee hours of Thursday, the Congress leadership finally managed to persuade Shivakumar, 61, to accept the post of Deputy Chief Minister, on the promise that he would be the sole Deputy CM.
While Siddaramaiah, 75, remained the high command’s choice for CM throughout the two days of talks, it did not want to ignore Shivakumar’s claim and leave him fretting and fuming. On the other hand, the leadership desperately wanted the Vokkaliga heavyweight known for his organisational skills to be part of the government to ensure stability. Manoj CJ reports
Karnataka Congress MLA G Parameshwara arrived at the residence of deputy chief minister-designate DK Shivakumar's residence in Bengaluru.
A day ahead of the swearing-in ceremony in Karnataka, deputy CM-designate DK Shivakumar said that the party will implement all the guarantees which were promised in their manifesto.
Hours after the Congress brokered a deal between Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar, AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, said the party leadership was of the view that both the leaders should be given responsibility. “We wanted a team of 11, not a team of one, to run the state,” he said.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Surjewala said both the leaders were happy, but was noncommittal when asked whether Siddaramaiah would be chief minister for the full term of five years. Sources close to Shivakumar have maintained that the agreement involves a rotational chief minister formula. Manoj CG speaks to Surjewala
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister-designate DK Shivakumar greeted his supporters outside his Bengaluru residence. Shivakumar will take oath on May 20.
Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar met Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot to stake claim to form the government shortly after he was formally elected the leader of the Congress Legislature Party(CLP) at a meeting of the newly elected party MLAs. Congress sources said the swearing-in will see around 20 ministers inducted into the Cabinet.
Negotiations are on over the number of loyalists from both the Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar camps to be given Cabinet berths.
Good morning! Welcome to today's live blog. We bring to you latest updates on the government formation in Karnataka. Stay tuned!
Former Karnataka CM Basavaraj S Bommai congratulated Siddaramaiah as he was chosen by the Congress party to be the next chief Minister. “I wish that you fulfill the aspirations of the people of Karnataka,” he wrote on Twitter.
Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot has invited Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar to take oath as the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, respectively, on May 20.
Following the Congress Legislature Party meet that elected Siddaramaiah as its leader, Eshwar Khandre said: “DK Shivakumar moved a single-line resolution and proposed the name of Siddaramaiah as the CLP leader, which all others endorsed unanimously.”
Karnataka CM-designate Siddaramaiah led a Congress delegation and met Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot to stake claim to form the next government. This came after the Congress Legislature Party formally elected Siddaramaiah as its leader.
The Congress Legislature Party formally elected Siddaramaiah as its leader on Thursday evening after he landed in Bengaluru from New Delhi following his meet with the high command.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Congress leader Siddaramaiah as the Karnataka CM, is likely to skip the event, a top source at the state secretariat said on Thursday.
A representative of Banerjee will, however, be attending the programme, he added. “The CM is likely to skip the swearing-in-ceremony. She may be assigning someone to represent the state there,” the bureaucrat told PTI.
Banerjee has received an invitation from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to participate in the swearing-in ceremony on May 20 in Bengaluru. The Trinamool Congress supremo's presence at the swearing-in programme of Siddaramaiah is considered crucial for opposition unity, especially after her recent statement that in next year's Lok Sabha elections, her party will support the Congress where it is strong. (PTI)
The resolution of the impasse after the Karnataka victory is welcome. It is not surprising, perhaps, that it took the Congress high command days of apparently hardball negotiations with rival leaders and factions in the party to arrive at a formula acceptable to all — Siddaramaiah will be chief minister, DK Shivakumar remains within the tent as his “only deputy” as well as PCC president. After all, the Congress’s Karnataka victory was not the result of any single factor or leader or slogan. It was the culmination of a concerted statewide effort to which many contributed, and therefore several can now lay claim to it. The party must ensure that the compromise struck in Delhi does not come unstuck in Bengaluru — after all, it can ill afford for Karnataka to go the way of Rajasthan where its government is visibly unsettled by the prolonged Ashok Gehlot vs Sachin Pilot attrition. Read More
As the Congress leaders arrived at the party headquarters in Bengaluru for the CLP meet, Ramesh Babu said that they would be meeting the Governor at 8.30 pm. “DK Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah and other leaders of the party will accompany the 20-member delegation,” he added.
Randeep Surjewala, the Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka and Rajya Sabha MP, was in the thick of things as the Congress huddle to choose the Karnataka Chief Minister stretched over three days and led to speculation. He speaks to The Indian Express on how party president Mallikarjun Kharge heard all sides and deliberated with senior leaders before choosing Siddaramaiah, about the goals of the new government, the role of the Gandhis and dismisses rumours about factionalism. Read Full Interview
In what maybe seen as a show of unity of the Opposition parties ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress has extended invitations to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao, and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar among others for the swearing-in ceremony of Siddaramaiah on Saturday.
Invites have also been extended to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, NC chief Farooq Abdullah and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy acknowledged on Thursday that the five 'guarantees' of the Congress "lured" people in the May 10 Assembly elections and not the 'Pancharatna' programme promised by his party Janata Dal (Secular).
Speaking about the demand from various communities that the chief minister should be from among them, Kumaraswamy said a chief minister should not belong to any one community but work to improve the lives of all 6.5 crore people of the state. He also said he would like to see how the Congress would implement those schemes and the conditions attached to avail the benefits.
"The Pancharatna scheme we promised and the efforts I made day and night for six months to popularise them did not attract people. People might have been lured towards those small-small guarantee schemes of Rs 2,000 (Congress guarantee schemes)," Kumaraswamy told reporters here. (PTI)
One of the back stories regarding Congress leader Siddaramaiah’s emergence as a frontrunner to be chief minister again, after the party’s recent election win, goes back to the middle of 2022 when a massive 75th birthday celebration was being planned by his supporters, with Rahul Gandhi in attendance. The story is that Siddaramaiah was thinking of stepping away from contesting the 2023 elections if he was not likely to be considered for the post of CM and if the Congress was looking at a generational change in leadership with PCC chief D K Shivakumar at the forefront. Read More
After four days of intense deliberations and marathon meetings, the Congress officially ended the stalemate over government formation in Karnataka, appointing Siddaramaiah as the next Chief Minister of the southern state and D K Shivakumar as his deputy. The oath-taking ceremony is set to take place in Bengaluru on May 20.
From the victory in the Karnataka Assembly polls to the Siddaramaiah being named the next Chief Minister, Click Here to read about everything that has transpired over the last five days.
Senior Congress leader G Parameshwara cautioned the party’s central leadership that if a Deputy Chief Minister post is not given to a Dalit, there would be adverse reaction and it would spell trouble for the party.
The 71-year-old Parameshwara, a Dalit, was deputy chief minister during Congress-JD(S) coalition government led by H D Kumaraswamy. He was also the longest-serving Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief (eight years).
His veiled warning came hours after the Congress announced that Siddaramaiah would be chief minister and D K Shivakumar would be his only deputy.
To a question about Shivakumar having allegedly put a condition to the leadership that he should be the only DCM, Parameshwara said, “What he has said might be right in Shivakumar's point of view, but high command's viewpoint should be different. High Command has to decide, we expect them (high command) to..." On whether injustice has been done to Dalits by not giving a DCM post to the community, he said the people, especially the Dalit community, have huge expectations.
"Understanding these expectations, our leadership will have to make a decision. If it doesn't happen, naturally there will be reactions for it. There is no need for me to say it. Instead of realising it later, if they rectify it now it will be better. Or else it may cause trouble for the party. I would like to tell them to understand it," Parameshwara said. (PTI)
Former Karnataka Deputy CM and MLA Dr G Parameshwar met Karnataka Governor Thavarchand Gehlot today to give information regarding the formation of a new government by the Congress party following it winning 135 seats in the recently held Assembly polls.
Congress leader DK Shivakumar, who was named as the next Deputy CM of Karnataka on Thursday, said: “When people have given us such a big mandate, we should definitely be happy and deliver and fulfill the promises. That is our main motto and agenda.”
Karnataka CM designate Siddaramaiah, following the announcement by the Congress party over him taking over the top post in the state, said: “I will continue to relentlessly work to ensure justice to every Kannadiga and uphold the pride of Karnataka. We are committed to implement our guarantees and give the best for our state.”
The 60-year-old leader hails from the Vokkaliga community, largely concentrated in south Karnataka and making up around 15 per cent of the state’s population. He has been a part of the Congress since his youth. During his years in college, he joined the National Students Union of India, the student wing of the party.
Since then, he has risen through the ranks and been elected MLA seven times, contesting his first election from the Sathanur constituency when he was 27 years old. Read to know more about him