5 key reasons why Congress prefers Siddaramaiah over DK Shivakumar as Karnataka CM

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on July 2 asserted that he will be in office for a full five-year term, putting to rest speculation of leadership change in the Congress-ruled state.

“Yes, I will be the CM of Karnataka. Why do you have doubts?” the veteran leader said in response to reporters’ questions about whether he would be the CM for five years.

Siddaramaiah’s deputy, DK Shivakumar, responded, saying he doesn’t have an option but to support CM Siddaramaiah.

“What option do I have? I have to stand by him and support him. I don’t have any objection to it. Whatever the party high command tells and whatever they decide, it will be fulfilled…I don’t want to discuss anything now. Lakhs of workers are supporting this party,” Shivakumar told the news agency ANI.

The comments from top Karnataka leaders come after speculations in political circles, particularly within Congress, regarding a change in the chief minister later this year. As Mint reported earlier, this speculation is based on a power-sharing agreement involving Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

“I have to go by my party. My party is important. My leadership’s decision is important. We have an aim to bring 2028 (state assembly elections), we will work for that,” Shivakumar said.

It seems that the Congress party has sorted out the Karnataka leadership crisis for now. The party has decided to nominate Siddaramaiah as chief minister.

Here are five reasons why Congress decided to go ahead with Siddaramaiah for now:

1- Bihar Election 2025

Bihar is the only state going to the polls in 2025. Sources said the Congress party thinks that removing a leader from a marginalised community (OBC) ahead of elections in Bihar would not send a good message in a state with substantial numbers of backwards and extremely backwards class voters.

Some leaders in the Congress party think that removing Siddaramaiah would give the BJP in Bihar political ammunition to attack the INDIA bloc comprising Congress and its ally RJD.

2- The Karnataka Congress President

If Shivakumar wanted to be the CM, he would have to give up his Karnataka Pradesh Congress President post. Sources said Shivakumar is not keen on leaving the post. He fears Siddaramaiah loyalists would be appointed for it.

3- The ‘money laundering’ label

After the Assembly election results were declared in May 2023, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar faced stiff competition for the chief minister’s post, but the Congress convinced the latter and made him the deputy CM.

One of the reasons that Congress picked Siddaramaiah instead of Shivakumar then was that the latter was under investigation by central agencies. This time also, that consideration has prompted the Congress party to continue with Siddaramaiah as the chief minister. Shivakumar even went to jail for more than a month in 2019 over money laundering charges against him.

According to reports, the Congress party fears that the BJP ruling at the Centre could attack Shivakumar with these cases if he becomes the CM and perhaps put a sitting CM in jail again.

4- The Bengaluru Stampede

Another factor that is not going with Shivakumar is the June 4 stampede in Bengaluru that killed 11 people during the IPL victory parade of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). While the cricket team has been held ‘prima facie responsible’, Shivakumar has also come under fire for reportedly allowing the gathering despite crowd control warnings.

5- Ashok Gehlot vs Sachin Pilot

The Congress doesn’t want to repeat the mistakes of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in Karnataka, one of its three states in power. The other two Congress-ruled states are Telangana and Himachal Pradesh.

In Rajasthan, for example, the Ashok Gehlot vs. Sachin Pilot controversy may have cost the party the Rajasthan assembly elections in 2023. The Congress may also be wary of the Kamal Nath vs. Jyotiraditya Scindia controversy of 2020 in Madhya Pradesh.  

Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan will vote for assembly elections in 2028.