Ramanagara: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar, who maintained a clear lead since the counting began on Saturday, defeated BJP leader and Minister R Ashoka.
Dodda Alahalli Kempegowda Shivakumar is an influential leader of the Okkaliga community. He has a good rapport with the Congress high command and is also the first on the list to become the Chief Minister.
Personal Introduction: Shivakumar was born on 15 May 1962 to Kempegowda and Gouramma of Dodda alahalli village of Kanakapur taluk. Shivakumar, who married Usha in 1993, has three children, Aishwarya, Abharana and Akash. Brother DK Suresh is also active in politics and is a MP of Bangalore Rural Constituency. He is currently the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and had contested from Kanakapur as a Congress candidate.
DK's Political Development: In 1989, he reduced the influence of JDS power in the constituency by winning the assembly election from Satanur constituency. In 1991, DK Shivakumar played an important role in the election of S Bangarappa as Chief Minister. He was minister in the Bangarappa cabinet. Elected from Satanur constituency in the 1999 elections, he became the Minister for Cooperation in the SM Krishna cabinet. Served as Minister of Urban Development in 2002. In 2008, he came to Kanakapura constituency after the re-distribution of constituencies. He has won consecutively from Kanakapur in 2008, 2013 and 2018 elections. Joined Siddaramaiah's cabinet in 2013 and took charge of energy portfolio. He was Minister of Water Resources and Kannada and Culture in the HD Kumaraswamy-led JDS-Congress alliance government.
Student-turned-politician DK: DK Shivakumar started his political career as a student leader in the early 1980s. He gradually rose through the ranks of the Congress party. He won his first election in 1989 when he was elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from the Satanur constituency in Mysore district. He was only 27 years old then. After the formation of Kanakapura Constituency, they won consecutively and established dominance. He is credited with playing a crucial role in the formation of the Congress and Janata Dal coalition government in Karnataka after the 2018 elections.
DK Shivakumar is also a close friend of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. He is also one of the richest politicians in India. While filing his nomination for the 2018 elections, he had declared a total of 840 crore assets. Currently, he has declared assets worth more than 1,000 crores.
