New Delhi: K Siddaramaiah appears to have an edge over DK Shivakumar in the race for the new Karnataka chief minister even as the issue was being debated among the top leaders.
“As per the observers’ report submitted to party chief Kharge on Monday, Siddaramaiah has the backing of more MLAs than Shivakumar,” a senior AICC functionary said, adding “Out of 135, Siddaramaiah has the backing of 85 MLAs, Shivakumar 45 and the remaining ones will go by the high command’s choice.” According to party insiders, the support of the MLAs is a crucial factor in the decision of the new chief minister as the high command wants a person who can provide a stable government in the southern state and implement the various promises made during the campaign.
Siddaramaiah fits the bill on this count as he headed the Congress government from 2013 to 2018 and then worked as leader of the MLAs in the assembly from 2019 to 2023. “He is popular among the workers, considered a mass leader and has administrative experience,” said an AICC functionary.
According to party insiders, the high command is trying to convince state unit chief Shivakumar, known to be an excellent manager, to accept the post of deputy chief minister but the leader has reservations about the offer. DK was brought in as state unit head after the JD-S-Congress coalition government was defeated in a floor test in 2019.
The party insiders further said that the high command wants both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar to work as a team for the big political challenge of the 2024 national elections and any differences between them may harm the party. Given Karnataka sends 28 seats to the Lok Sabha, the party cannot afford to make Shivakumar unhappy as he delivered a massive 135/224 seats in the recent assembly polls, said the insiders.
Another offer made to Shivakumar is the chief minister’s post by rotation but the state unit chief is not too excited about the proposal as there would be no guarantees of the promise getting implemented smoothly in due course of time. Further, such an arrangement does not exist anywhere in the party-ruled states and is bound to affect the stability factor of the new government, something that has been red-flagged by the high command.
“The five social welfare guarantees and the promise of a clean administration played a key role behind the party’s success in Karnataka. Hence, how the new government delivers would be important. It is understandable that Shivakumar wishes to get the chief minister’s post but I hope he will accept the deputy chief minister’s post,” said the AICC functionary.
Party insiders said that hectic consultations between the top level including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, former chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the three observers and AICC in-charge organisation KC Venugopal and AICC state in-charge Randeep Surjewala were going on to decide the matter.
“A decision on the chief minister is expected today but may take place tomorrow also. Besides, discussions over the probable cabinet members are also ongoing within the party at various levels. We wish to hold the swearing-in ceremony as early as possible,” said the AICC functionary.
