Editorial: Karnataka’s power struggle

Given the unique characteristics of the two party top leaders—Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his ambitious deputy DK Shivakumar—in State, the Congress now appears to be in a tight spot over how to manage a transition, assuming that is on the agenda

A spectre of political instability looms large over Congress-ruled Karnataka following an intensifying power struggle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his ambitious deputy DK Shivakumar. A well-choreographed truce between the two warring factions, brokered by the party high command recently, appears too good to be true. Siddaramaiah’s unambiguous assertion that he would continue to be at the helm for the full term till 2028 must be seen as an attempt to project a unified image of the party. However, it belies bitter infighting in the State unit. Shivkumar’s loyalists have been demanding a change of leadership in tune with an informal understanding over power sharing at the time of the government formation in May 2023. The Congress had returned to power with an impressive performance, bagging 136 seats, 23 more than the required 113 in a 224-member Assembly. As per the reported arrangement, they were to hold the Chief Minister’s chair for two-and-a-half years each. It means that Siddaramaiah has time till November this year to hand over the baton to his deputy. While the party’s central leadership appears to have had its way, for now, in allowing Siddaramaiah to continue, it is difficult to expect Shivakumar to give up his chief ministerial ambition at this juncture. In fact, he made no bones about his desire to occupy the coveted post. In the heady aftermath of the party’s Assembly win, he had put up a strong fight to be considered for the CM’s post.

After all, as the president of the State unit, Shivakumar was largely credited for steering the Congress to victory. Though Siddaramaiah was eventually chosen for the job, discontent has been brewing in the party since then. While Shivakumar is seen as a master strategist with money bags, Siddaramaiah is a mass leader with a vast administrative experience, having completed a full term between 2013 and 2018. Though Siddaramaiah originally belonged to the Janata Dal, his entry into the Congress in 2006 at a time when the party was floundering for want of a capable leader worked to his advantage, and he quickly rose to the top. He led the Congress to victory in 2013, sealing his place at the top. Given the unique characteristics of the two leaders, the Congress now appears to be in a tight spot over how to manage a transition, assuming that is on the agenda – notwithstanding Siddaramaiah’s assertion that he alone will continue to be the Chief Minister. In 2006, when the BJP-JD(S) formed a coalition government, a similar arrangement ran into trouble. Kumaraswamy was to have handed over the chair to his coalition partner, BS Yediyurappa, on the completion of his tenure. But when the time came, the JD(S) leader reluctantly exited from the chief ministership. Within a few days, Kumaraswamy pulled out the JD(S) from the coalition, leading to the collapse of the government.

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