Shivakumar: What DK Shivakumar Gained by Creating a 5-Day Standoff: The Position of Heir Apparent | News from India

NEW DELHI/BENGALURU: The breakfast table stacked with idli-dosa-sambar, and Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar digging into rice dishes, with host KC Venugopal and Randep Surjewala Stealing glances from their guests, he summed up the four-day breathless drama to select the chief minister of Karnataka.

Not just the two Kannadigas, the collective face of success Congress campaign in Karnataka gathered, even their photographs were widely disseminated to convey a message. The following customary photo of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, flanked by the duo, raising their hands, hammered the point further.
If unity was the theme to project on the day of the big decision, it was needed because the two ran into the post-election as rival generals fighting for the peak.

If, in the end, the easy resolution elicited “what was the matter” looks, the sources said there has never been a warlike confrontation as portrayed in the media or voiced by over-excited supporters. The decision about CM had already been made and the party was just persuading Shivakumar to come.
The trial ended in sweeteners as if he would become the only deputy CM to maintain his relevance despite pleas from three major communities, and his stature would be augmented by meaty wallets. He would also remain the president of the state Congress, a weighty position that gives him control over the organization. There was no word on the split term as had been speculated, and Venugopal dismissed the tricky question on the matter at a press conference.
But congressional circles remained abuzz with talk of a “power-sharing formula.” Indeed, HK Patil, state veteran and Maharashtra party manager, said, “I welcome the decision on power sharing and I am sure it will be five quiet years for the party to provide good administration in Karnataka.”
For Congress, Karnataka is important for multiple reasons, a point repeatedly reiterated by rival plaintiffs. If a victory were needed to win again and prove that the Narendra Modi-fueled campaign machine can be humiliated, the post-poll goal would be to re-establish the party as an example of good, clean government. A big goal is to capitalize on the earnings for the big contest in 2024.
Evidently, the acrimony has raised questions as to whether the state unit will be a united house in the future. Insiders expressed confidence it would go smoothly, because both leaders have a stake in a good show: Siddaramaiah’s legacy and Shivakumar’s future.
And within five days, the dynamic Shivakumar established himself as the man of the company. He would like to keep things simple.