What Do They Want? NDTV Decodes Siddaramaiah-DK Shivakumar Power Struggle

The Siddaramaiah vs DK Shivakumar tug-of-war over the Karnataka Chief Minister's post escalated Thursday with rival camps poised to corral and pressure senior leadership in Delhi.

On Wednesday Congress boss Mallikarjun Kharge acknowledged, finally, a crisis (he did not use that word) in the southern state, and said Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and he would "fix it".

That 'fix' is awaited and will, it seems at this stage, be a leadership change.

But whether Siddaramaiah will prevail or whether DK Shivakumar will finally get what he wants, or if a 'night watchman' will be inserted to keep things ticking over till the next election, in 2028, is unclear.

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For now, there is (relative) silence and unease, particularly as the Congress stares down the barrel of another civil war, like in Rajasthan, when Sachin Pilot challenged Ashok Gehlot.

That ended badly for the party – a thumping from the BJP in the 2023 election.

NDTV breaks down what each side wants in this power struggle.

Siddaramaiah: Postpone any decision till after the state budget is presented.

This will mean the Congress making it clear to Shivakumar, again, that Siddaramaiah is untouchable, at least for now. Sources said he wants this message reiterated by Rahul Gandhi.

Siddaramaiah also plans to reshuffle his cabinet to assert his authority. He still has the support of a large number of MLAs and that, as DKS will attest, makes him difficult to dislodge.

READ | Siddaramaiah's 'Plan' In Case Congress Promotes DK Shivakumar

Also in play is Siddaramaiah's ambition of replacing Devaraj Urs – an iconic Congress leader from the state – as Karnataka's longest-serving Chief Minister. Therefore, if Siddaramaiah does consent to step aside before his term ends, it will not likely be before that target is achieved.

DK Shivakumar: A clear transition plan.

DKS, it seems, is willing to wait, particularly since he knows a majority of the MLAs will still support Siddaramaiah. But he has made it clear his patience is not endless.

And as he waits, Siddaramaiah's deputy wants a clear message sent to his boss – quit and facilitate a smooth handover. This is key because DKS lacks the numbers in Siddaramaiah's pocket, and will need an unequivocal message from the Gandhis for a promotion.

READ | 'Keeping Promise A Big Power Move': Shivakumar Reminds Congress

Shivakumar's camp has also signalled to the Congress high command that he expects other senior state leaders, including PWD Minister Satish Jarikholi, to fall in line.

Dark horses?

Yes. Two, in fact, including Kharge himself.

Sources told NDTV the Congress President might be a suitable compromise all-around.

The 83-year-old is a widely respected Kannadiga leader whose elevation to party presidency was, in many ways, forced upon him amid pressure from the G-23, a group of Congress leaders who demanded organisational change, at the national level, after a string of poll defeats.

But Kharge stepping down as the Congress boss will trigger a much larger leadership crisis for the party, leaving it vulnerable to no end of sneers and jabs from the BJP and other rivals before critical elections in Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat, Assam, and UP over the next two years.

READ | "Always In Race": Karnataka Minister On Siddaramaiah-DKS Row

G Parameshwara, the Home Minister, is another possibility.

Also a Siddaramaiah supporter, eyebrows were raised this week after he spoke of throwing his hat in the chief ministerial race. A key Dalit leader, he said there have been several representations asking for a chief minister from that marginalised community.

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