The Spark that Reignited the Debate
Just when the political corridors of Vidhana Soudha seemed to have settled, a single statement has sent ripples across Karnataka, reigniting a debate the Congress high command had painstakingly put to rest a year ago. The catalyst? A seemingly unequivocal declaration by senior minister M.B. Patil, who asserted that after the current tenure of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, it is Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar who should become Chief Minister.
Speaking at an event on Sunday, Patil, the Minister for Large and Medium Industries, didn’t mince words. He stated that Siddaramaiah would complete his full term as per the high command’s decision, and subsequently, D.K. Shivakumar, the powerhouse KPCC President who steered the party to a historic victory, would be the natural successor.
The Ghost of the Power-Sharing Formula
While on the surface this might seem like a simple statement of a potential future, in the context of Karnataka’s intricate politics, it’s a political bombshell. It brings back to the forefront the ghost of the “power-sharing formula” – the unconfirmed but widely speculated 2.5-year rotational chief ministership agreement supposedly brokered in Delhi in May 2023.
Let’s rewind. Following Congress‘s thumping win with 135 seats, a week of intense drama unfolded. Both the veteran mass leader Siddaramaiah and the Vokkaliga strongman D.K. Shivakumar laid their claim to the CM’s chair. The final compromise saw Siddaramaiah, the seasoned administrator with his pan-Karnataka “Ahinda” appeal, take the oath as CM, while Shivakumar, the organisational genius, was made his sole deputy.
The terms of this pact were never made public, with party leaders consistently maintaining the only agreement was to provide five years of stable governance. However, M.B. Patil’s statement is the first time a senior minister has publicly laid out this succession plan so clearly.
Why Now? The Timing of the Remark
The timing of Patil’s comment is significant. It comes just after the Lok Sabha elections and as the Siddaramaiah government crosses its one-year milestone. Patil’s remarks could be interpreted in several ways: a trial balloon to gauge public reaction, a move to reassure the restless Shivakumar camp, or a calculated play to cement his own position within a future power structure.
Predictably, the political fallout was immediate. Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have publicly downplayed the statement, reiterating that the final decision rests with the party high command. Shivakumar, ever the party loyalist, deflected questions by stating his current focus is on his duties as Deputy CM.
Countdown Clock Resets for Congress High Command
Beneath the diplomatic responses, the statement has undeniably re-energised the two distinct power centres within the Karnataka Congress. It also provides ammunition to the opposition BJP and JD(S), who will waste no time in painting the government as unstable and plagued by internal squabbles.
For the Congress high command, this is a delicate balancing act they had hoped to avoid. While Patil has framed the transition as a smooth, pre-decided event, politics is rarely that simple. His words have lifted the veil on a conversation that was happening in hushed tones. The debate over whether after Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar should become Chief Minister is now firmly in the public domain, resetting the countdown clock in Karnataka politics.
