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 to public his desire for the top post. To placate Shivakumar - considered pivotal for Congress victory in Karnataka - the high command has decided to award him top ministries of the state. An official announcement can be made on the same by Monday evening. 

Why Congress chose Siddaramaiah over DK Shivakumar? 

Many are wondering as to why the Congress party is choosing 75-year-old Siddramaiah over DK Shivakumar. The souces close to the top party leaders said that Congress is eyeing a better performance in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. For the same, the party wishes to use Siddaramaiah's mass appeal across the state. The party is now seeing Siddaramaiah in the position of the 'face' and Shivakumar as the manager for upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 

AHINDA Formula

The Congress believes that Karnataka's popular - AHINDA formula - had a big role to play in its victory. Ahinda is a Kannada acronym for 'Alpasankhyataru' or minorities, 'Hindulidavaru' or backward classes, and 'Dalitaru' or Dalits. It is said that Siddaramaiah is an expert in managing this vote bank and enjoys mass appeal among these communities. For the same reason, the party doesn't wish to go against Siddaramaiah, who has a history of rebels against former bosses in Janata Dal factions.

Shivakumar's Cooperation Mantra

Shivakumar today said he had extended cooperation for him earlier and now Siddaramaiah would cooperate with him. "After the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, I took charge of the party. Then senior leader Dinesh Gundu Rao and Siddaramaiah had resigned from their posts. Didn`t I wait patiently and cooperate when I was not inducted into the cabinet," he asked.

Siddaramaiah, after assuming charge as CM in 2013, had kept out Shivakumar from the cabinet for a long time. "I have extended my cooperation to him (Siddaramaiah)," Shivakumar said.

Calls To Make DK Shivakumar Chief Minister

Marasappa Ravi, Congress district spokesperson has released a press note and urged Siddaramaiah not to become a roadblock for Shivakumar to become the CM. Shivakumar facilitated Siddaramaiah`s joining the Congress. It is Shivakumar who gave him the strategy to contest from two seats in 2018, he said. Siddaramaiah lost in Chamundeshwari seat and won from Badami seat in the last elections.

"Siddaramaiah, who was pushed to the corner in JD-S, was recognised by Shivakumar and given respectable status in Congress by Shivakumar. Now it is time for Siddaramaiah to pay back," he said.