DK Shivakumar To Be PM In 2029 Or Beyond? Can He Follow Deve Gowda's Path? | NDTV Loves Books!

How did DK Shivakumar go from a young Congress politician to one of the party's most important crisis managers and now Karnataka's Chief Minister? In this episode of NDTV Loves Books, veteran journalist Rasheed Kidwai speaks to Gargi Rawat about his book D.K. Shivakumar: Congress's Crisis Manager, Karnataka's Kingmaker. Kidwai traces Shivakumar's political journey, from his early years in student politics and his association with Rajiv Gandhi, to the high-stakes political battles that earned him a reputation as a troubleshooter and a fiercely loyal Congress leader. The conversation examines Shivakumar's relationships with the Gandhi family, his patience during the Karnataka chief ministerial tussle, his political risk-taking, his religious identity within the Congress, and the question of whether his influence can extend beyond Karnataka. But the biggest test may now be governance. With Bengaluru's infrastructure, development and upcoming political battles putting pressure on him, can Shivakumar convert his political instincts into delivery? And ultimately: Can the ‘Rock of Karnataka’ become the rock of the Congress party?