In Karnataka Leadership Change, A Playbook From Nitish Kumar's Exit

The Congress' leadership transition in Karnataka has refocused attention on dynastic politics - a mainstay of Indian politics - amid reports Siddaramaiah only agreed to resign as chief minister after securing a key concession, i.e., the induction of his son Yathindra into the state cabinet.

There are also reports Yathindra could be one of four deputies to Shivakumar; sources said this was another of Siddaramaiah's demands, albeit one that has not gone down well with DKS.

The younger son of the Congress veteran and a pathologist by training, Yathindra Siddaramaiah is a Member of the Legislative Council and was earlier the Member of the Legislative Assembly from the family bastion of Varuna, defeating the BJP's T Basavaraju by nearly 60,000 votes.

Why is the Congress opening itself to charges of dynastic politics? A brickbat the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has used, and continues to use, frequently to attack its great rival.

Because from an electoral math perspective it makes sense.

Siddaramaiah is the tallest Congress leader in the state. Forcing him out mid-term risks angering his vote base, which includes the Ahinda bloc that consists of voters from OBC and minority communities and is roughly 65 per cent of the population. By keeping Yathindra in the mix, the Congress will hope to offset discontent over his father being removed.

Family representation is already visible across party lines in Karnataka.

In the BJP, ex-chief minister BS Yeddyurappa's son, BY Vijayendra, was appointed the party's state boss. And the Janata Dal Secular remains controlled by the Deve Gowda family, by ex-prime minister HD Deve Gowda and his son, ex-chief minister HD Kumaraswamy.

It is also visible across states.

In Bihar, for example, around the same time as Janata Dal United boss Nitish Kumar quit as chief minister, the political visibility of his son, Nishant Kumar, began growing despite earlier protestations that he did not want a career in politics. Last week that rise was crystallised after he was inducted into the Bihar government; the younger Kumar was given a cabinet berth.