DK Shivakumar's Agenda: Cabinet Picks, Power Play And Managing Siddaramaiah

With DK Shivakumar, the quintessential organisational man, mostly likely to take over as the new chief minister of Karnataka, the question uppermost on everyone's mind is: can he lift a fatigued Congress government out of its stupor and give it a second wind in time for the next assembly elections in 2028?

Or, will his immediate predecessor Siddaramaiah's sense of bitterness arising out of being "let down" by the party high command create impediments in Shivakumar's path to bring about drastic changes?

The Congress's history in Karnataka is replete with instances of top-level rivalry resulting in muddled politics that took the party downhill to the advantage of the opposition. The events of 1990s serve as a timely reminder: a seasoned leader, Veerendra Patil's unfortunate exit due to a sudden medical condition resulted in the high command taking one bad decision after another in putting S Bangarappa and Veerappa Moily on the chief minister's chair, ignoring several veterans, which included SM Krishna, Mallikarjun Kharge and Dharam Singh. The Congress paid a heavy price as it was banished from power for a decade thereafter.

But, this time, a quick and decisive manner in which the transition from Siddaramaiah to Shivakumar was effected, suggests that the Congress high command has learnt its lessons and begun to operate the levers of power at a different level.

A Well-Choreographed Act

In this era of 24x7 television coverage, Rahul Gandhi's mandarins left nothing to chance. Apparently, tough messages had been delivered to both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar's camps, with every move neatly scripted and choreographed: Siddaramaiah holding a breakfast meeting with his cabinet colleagues where he announced his decision to resign; Shivakumar on entering Siddaramaiah's house, touching his feet and being blessed by the senior man.

Despite the absence of the governor, Siddaramaiah, accompanied by Shivakumar and other senior ministers, went to the Lok Bhavan and gave his resignation to the governor's secretary; later, Siddaramaiah held a press conference to formally disclose his resignation and deliver a farewell speech.

The optics and messaging couldn't have been planned better.

After the successes in Kerala and Tamil Nadu - in the latter's case, taking a bold decision to ditch a long-time ally and becoming part of the government in the state after nearly six decades, the "management" of Karnataka's power shift once again reveals the mindset of a new, ruthless high command which is not averse to taking high risks.

Young And New Faces

As Shivakumar prepares to take charge as chief minister in a day or two, the immediate task before the high command will be to try and fill the new cabinet with a lot of fresh and young faces. There are reports suggesting that Rahul Gandhi has instructed Shivakumar to ensure broader representation to Dalits, OBCs and minorities, especially "young and new faces" under the age of 60.

Sources say that several long-term associates of Siddaramaiah like HC Mahadevappa, Ramalinga Reddy and Dinesh Gundu Rao may face the axe, while Shivakumar is likely to reward his loyalists including HC Balakrishna, NA Haris, Shivaganga Basavaraj and Lakshmi Hebbalkar, the last named getting an important portfolio.

In the minorities' category, KJ George, a staunch supporter of Siddaramaiah, may be retained as he has maintained good relations with 10, Janpath, but Zameer Ahmed and Rahim Khan may have to make way for Saleem Ahmed and Rizan Arshad, two 'moderate' youth from the Muslim community.

Siddaramaiah's son, Yathindra, entering the cabinet for the first time also appears a certainty. Just as a matter of reminder, one of the first things Siddaramaiah did on laying down office was to fly to Delhi with his son, go straight to 10, Janpath on Friday morning to 'introduce' Yathindra to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and get their blessings.

Race For Deputy Chief Minister Post

There is a possibility of intense competition for the deputy chief minister's posts. Though there is a demand for four deputy chief ministers, sources say it could be limited to just two. Parameshwara, a senior leader and former Karnataka Congress president, is a frontrunner who will have the backing of Siddaramaiah.

But Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is reportedly pushing his son Priyank Kharge's name. Between Parameshwara and Priyank, only one can get in as both belong to the Scheduled Castes category.

Satish Jarkiholi, a powerful Scheduled Tribes (ST) leader, is tipped to be the Karnataka Congress chief replacing Shivakumar, but he is also lobbying for a deputy chief minister's post, pointing to the dual role played by Shivakumar until now. As Shivakumar happens to be a Vokkaliga, there is a possibility of bringing in a Lingayat as deputy chief minister, possibly MB Patil, in order to ensure 'parity'.

Given the fragile financial position of Karnataka, severely drained by the "five guarantees", people of the state would thank the Vajpayee government for bringing in the 91st Constitution Amendment Act in 2002 which limits the number of ministers to 15 per cent of the strength of the state legislature. In Karnataka's case, the maximum limit is 34.

There have been times when it crossed 50, like during SM Krishna government's last few months due to political pressure. Such excesses are always punished by the electorate as shown by the fact that as many as 31 ministers were trounced in the 2004 assembly polls. So, that should act as a hard lesson for Shivakumar and his mentors in the party high command as they embark on rebuilding the image of the government in Karnataka.

It is on the administrative side that Shivakumar's performance will be keenly watched. As deputy chief minister in charge of Bengaluru, he initiated a number of mega infrastructure projects but they are all crying for funds.

The 40-km tunnel project in the heart of Bengaluru, supposed to decongest the city, needs Rs 42,500 crore, the peripheral ring road project meant to develop 'Bengaluru Business Corridor' is projected to cost Rs 21,000 crore, the elevated express corridor is pegged at Rs 15,000 crore and the Bidadi 'AI City Project' slated to feature an international corporate complex, is planned with an investment of Rs 9,000.

He has also worked hard to get the approval of the Centre for an ambitious Mekedatu balancing reservoir and drinking water project across river Cauvery which is likely to cost Rs 14,000 or more. Neighbouring Tamil Nadu has opposed this project fearing depletion in the river flow to its agricultural fields, but with the Supreme Court recently rejecting its appeal, Shivakumar is keen to go ahead with it at full speed.

But the five guarantees implemented by Siddaramaiah soon after his government came to power in May 2023 has so far cost the state treasury of Rs 1.5 lakh crore. For the financial year 2026-27, another Rs 51,286 crore has been earmarked. Such massive outgo for the 'freebies', has turned Karnataka from a revenue surplus to revenue deficit state, hitting many vital infrastructure projects.

There have been repeated calls for weeding out 'ineligible' beneficiaries, including affluent and tax-paying individuals, but Siddaramaiah has refused to dilute the schemes, fearing a loss of face for his government.

As soon as he assumes office, Shivakumar is expected to hold a series of meetings with financial experts to take up a thorough review of these schemes and find ways to cut back on expenditure. One of his first priorities would be plugging massive leakages, as a recent report revealed that under the Gruhalakshmi scheme crores of rupees are flowing into bank accounts of even people who have died. Given his managerial skills as a successful businessman, Shivakumar is expected to address this problem immediately.

Shivakumar may also initiate a thorough overhaul of the bureaucracy, putting right persons in right places and conducting periodic reviews of the progress so that the deadlines are met. He is known to work hard with a keen eye for details.

But with Siddaramaiah's decision to remain in Bengaluru and "remain active in local politics", Shivakumar's activities will come under close scrutiny. He will have to take Siddaramaiah into confidence before undertaking any reforms concerning the guarantees schemes as he is most likely to oppose dilution of his 'pet projects' without a scientific study. All in all, Shivakumar will have to quickly learn the art of tightrope walking to give himself a smooth sailing for the next two years.

(The author is a senior journalist)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author