Suspense over: Siddaramaiah Chief Minister; DK Shivakumar deputy CM with top ministries, say sources

Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah will be the next Chief Minister of Karnataka, with DK Shivakumar as his deputy, highly placed sources in the Congress party told Zee News TV today. Since morning, DK Shivakumar had dropped major hints making public his desire for the premiership. In a bid to woo Shivakumar, who is considered key to the Congress’s victory in Karnataka, the high command has decided to bestow him with top state ministries. It can be officially announced by Monday evening.

Why did Congress choose Siddaramaiah instead of DK Shivakumar?

Many are wondering why the Congress party is choosing 75-year-old Siddaramaiah over DK Shivakumar. Sources close to top party leaders said the Congress is eyeing a better performance in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. For the same, the party wants to use Siddaramaiah’s mass appeal across the state. The party is now looking at Siddaramaiah as its ‘face’ and Shivakumar as its manager for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Ahinda Formula

The Congress believes that Karnataka’s popular – Ahinda formula had a big role in its victory. Ahinda is a Kannada acronym for ‘Alpasankyataru’ or minorities, ‘Hindulidavaru’ or backward classes, and ‘Dalitaru’ or Dalits. Siddaramaiah is said to be adept at managing this vote bank and has a wide appeal among these communities. For this reason, the party does not want to go up against Siddaramaiah, who has a history of rebelling against former bosses in Janata Dal factions.

Shivkumar’s cooperation mantra

Shivakumar today said that he had cooperated for him earlier and now Siddaramaiah will cooperate with him. “After the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, I took charge of the party. Then senior leaders Dinesh Gundu Rao and Siddaramaiah had resigned from their posts. Didn’t I wait patiently and when I was not inducted into the cabinet,” he Asked.

Siddaramaiah had kept Shivakumar out of the cabinet for a long time after taking over as CM in 2013. “I have extended my support to him (Siddaramaiah),” Shivakumar said.

Demand to make DK Shivakumar the Chief Minister

Marasappa Ravi, Congress District Spokesperson has issued a press note urging Siddaramaiah not to become an obstacle in the way of Shivakumar becoming the Chief Minister. Shivakumar helped Siddaramaiah join the Congress. It was Shivakumar who gave him the strategy to contest from two seats in 2018. In the last election, Siddaramaiah lost from Chamundeshwari seat and won from Badami seat.

He said, “Siddaramaiah, who was pushed to the corner in the JD(S), was recognized by Shivakumar and given a respectable position in the Congress by Shivakumar. Now the time has come to make Siddaramaiah pay.”