After years of ambition and intrigue, D K Shivakumar set to be Karnataka CM

His strongman image has found resonance among a section of youth in Karnataka and neighbouring Kerala, even as his political career remains shadowed by multiple allegations. In many ways, Shivakumar remains both a formidable leader and a polarising figure in Karnataka politics.

Born Doddalahalli Kempegowda Shivakumar on May 15, 1962, in Kanakapura in a well-to-do family, the Vokkaliga leader took his first steps in politics as a student activist in the 1980s. Though he lost his debut Assembly election to political heavyweight H D Deve Gowda in 1985, Shivakumar registered the first of his eight consecutive Assembly victories at the age of 27, winning from the erstwhile Sathanur constituency.

Following delimitation in 2008,  the 64-year-old has contested from Kanakapura. His eight Assembly victories place him alongside Siddaramaiah, and just one short of veteran R V Deshpande, making him one of Karnataka’s longest-serving legislators.

Troubleshooting tales

Shivakumar’s ability to keep the flock together first came to the fore at the turn of the century. While Shivakumar was a minister in the S M Krishna Cabinet, the Congress government in Maharashtra, led by Vilasrao Deshmukh, was facing a crisis.

Ahead of a no-confidence motion, Shivakumar hosted a contingent of Congress legislators at a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru. A week later, they were flown back to Mumbai for the trust vote. Deshmukh survived the motion, ensuring the Congress government remained in power.

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Another episode that cemented Shivakumar’s reputation as a troubleshooter — though at a high personal cost — came during the 2017 Rajya Sabha elections. Shivakumar hosted 44 Congress MLAs at a Bengaluru resort to prevent alleged poaching attempts by the BJP and ensure the victory of Congress candidate Ahmed Patel.

As he sheltered the legislators, Income-Tax officials conducted raids at multiple locations, including his residence and that of his brother and MP D K Suresh. His business establishments were also searched. Two years later, he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), becoming the first prominent Karnataka politician to be lodged in Tihar Jail.

Following his release after 50 days, Shivakumar received a rapturous reception from supporters, further consolidating his position as the face of the Congress in Karnataka and a leader willing to take on the BJP despite mounting pressure.

Though cash and valuables were seized during the raids and multiple cases filed against him, Shivakumar has denied any wrongdoing, alleging that the investigations were politically motivated.

Illegal mining allegations

Allegations linked to illegal mining have also dogged Shivakumar over the years. S R Hiremath, founder of Samaja Parivarthana Samudaya, accused him of involvement in illegal mining and other irregularities.

Hiremath submitted documentary evidence to support his allegations and criticised successive state governments for accommodating Shivakumar in the Cabinet. Shivakumar denied the charges, and the public spat frequently played out on Kannada television debates.

Following Shivakumar’s arrest in 2019, Hiremath said he could meet the same fate as mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy, and urged central agencies to investigate alleged irregularities involving Shivakumar and his brother in greater detail.

Wealth and political rivalry

Within the Congress, some detractors have often mocked Shivakumar for being “born with a silver spoon”. His rivals in the JD(S), particularly Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, have repeatedly accused him of amassing wealth through questionable means.

The rivalry between Shivakumar and Kumaraswamy has long been a recurring feature of Karnataka politics, with both leaders vying for supremacy within the influential Vokkaliga community.

The declarations Shivakumar made in his affidavit ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections make him among the richest legislators in the country. His declared assets stood at Rs 1,214 crore in 2023, nearly double the Rs 619.8 crore he declared in 2018. The disclosures reignited the debate around his extensive wealth, with critics alleging land encroachment and irregularities in real estate dealings.

Within the Congress, Shivakumar has often been viewed as a counterweight to Siddaramaiah. While Siddaramaiah enjoys considerable support among backward classes, Shivakumar commands influence among sections of the powerful Vokkaliga community. He has also never concealed his ambition to become CM, with loyalists repeatedly pitching his name for the post over the past year and a half.

Tug-of-war for power post 2023

The Congress’s return to power in Karnataka in 2023 also sharpened the rivalry between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, with both leaders seen as contenders for the Chief Minister’s post. While Siddaramaiah eventually emerged as the consensus choice after hectic consultations with the party high command, Shivakumar was appointed Deputy Chief Minister and retained charge of the party’s state unit.

The power-sharing arrangement triggered persistent speculation about a possible rotational chief ministership, though the Congress leadership never publicly confirmed such an understanding. Over the past three years, loyalists of both camps repeatedly lobbied for their respective leaders, exposing factional fault lines within the state unit even as the government sought to project unity. Shivakumar, for his part, carefully balanced public displays of loyalty to Siddaramaiah with calibrated assertions of his own leadership ambitions.

The tussle frequently also spilled over to Delhi, with both leaders and their loyalists making regular trips to meet the Congress high command. Supporters of Shivakumar repeatedly pressed for a leadership change or the implementation of the reported power-sharing formula, while Siddaramaiah’s camp projected his governance record and welfare schemes as reasons for continuity. The competing displays of strength often fuelled speculation in Karnataka’s political circles about an imminent transition, even as the party leadership as well as the two leaders, publicly insisted that the government remained stable.

Now that he finally has what he wanted, Shivkumar faces perhaps his toughest challenge yet: proving that he is more than capable of filling Siddaramaiah’s shoes, containing the factional feuds, and leading the party back to power in two years.