DK Suresh, the brother of Karnataka Chief Minister contender DK Shivakumar, expressed his discontent with the Congress leadership’s decision regarding the post-election situation in the state. While acknowledging that the decision was made in the interest of Karnataka and the party, Suresh revealed that his brother had aspired to become the Chief Minister and expressed his dissatisfaction with the outcome. Suresh indicated that a possible compromise could involve sharing the five-year term between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, the likely Chief Minister designate.
After several days of internal disputes and negotiations, the Congress party is expected to announce Siddaramaiah as the Chief Minister and DK Shivakumar as his deputy during the Congress Legislative Party meeting in Bengaluru. The official swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place on Saturday. Sources revealed that Siddaramaiah will be elected as the Congress Legislative Party leader, and discussions for the formation of the cabinet are nearly finalized. Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge worked tirelessly through the night to find a resolution to the impasse.
According to sources close to Shivakumar, he accepted the position of Deputy Chief Minister following an intervention by former Congress president Sonia Gandhi. They stated that Shivakumar agreed to make the “sacrifice” in the best interest of the party. However, during a meeting held in Delhi on Wednesday, the offers presented by Kharge and Rahul Gandhi were rejected by Shivakumar, leading to an inconclusive outcome. Another meeting was subsequently conducted later in the evening.
The first option proposed granting Shivakumar the position of the state’s sole Deputy Chief Minister while retaining his current role as the head of the state party unit. Additionally, he was offered the opportunity to choose six ministries of his preference. The second option was a power-sharing arrangement between Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, but neither leader was willing to assume the secondary position. It is now contingent upon the Congress party’s performance in Karnataka during the general election next year, as sources have indicated.
The dissatisfaction expressed by DK Suresh and the uncertainty surrounding the power-sharing arrangement highlights the challenges faced by the Congress party in maintaining unity and appeasing various factions within Karnataka. Shivakumar holds influence among the politically significant Vokkaligas, while Siddaramaiah enjoys the support of the AHINDA platform, representing minorities, Other Backward Classes, and Dalits, which have traditionally supported the Congress party.
As the Congress party proceeds with the announcement and subsequent swearing-in ceremony, the focus will be on how the leadership transition unfolds and its potential impact on the upcoming general election. Finding a mutually agreeable solution is crucial for the Congress party to maintain its electoral prospects in Karnataka.
