Opposites Attract ‘Power’? Siddaramaiah, DKS & Their Love-Hate Relationship in K’taka Congress

Last week, former Speaker and senior Congress MLA Ramesh Kumar dropped a bombshell, claiming that certain elements are systematically working overtime to sideline Siddaramaiah in the party. He even warned that it will be a doomsday for the party if he is ignored.

Siddaramaiah kept quiet, but a few days later, his interview to NDTV raised the hackles of his rival in the party, DK Shivakumar. Siddaramaiah maintained that he was misquoted by the channel and never said that the high command would not make DKS the CM.

In private, the Siddaramaiah camp linked the current controversy to Kumar’s statement, claiming his prediction has come true and there is indeed a huge plan to defame or sideline him.

However, both the leaders denied it and posed for the cameras together.

POLAR OPPOSITES

Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar have nothing in common and they are exactly the polar opposites. Siddaramaiah, as the opposition leader, and DKS, as the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, have been leading the party in a ‘do-or-die’ battle, despite their contrasting personalities.

Siddaramaiah, originally a socialist Janata Parivar leader, is senior to DKS and his induction to the Congress in 2005-06 was not really liked by the current KPCC president. In the past 18 years, they have had a love-hate relationship depending on the political necessity. Certainly, there is a huge trust deficit between them, and the Karnataka Congress openly has Siddaramaiah and DKS factions.

Siddaramaiah is a quintessential politician who has no interest in business. But DKS is considered one of the richest politicians and has many big business interests. Although both hail from the Old Mysore region, they belong to two rival castes — Kurubas and Vokkaligas. After his expulsion, Siddaramaiah has turned completely against the party of the Gowdas, JDS, but DKS’s relationship with them is inconsistent.

POPULARITY VS ORGANISATIONAL SKILLS

DKS, who took the baton of the Karnataka Congress after the decimation of the party in 2019 Parliament elections and collapse of the 14-month old JDS-Congress government, claims he has rebuilt it and made it poll-ready with his organisational skills and hard work. In private, he demands that the CM post should naturally go to him and it is non-negotiable.

On the other hand, Siddaramaiah argues that he is the most popular mass leader and vote-getter for the party, and he should be made the CM again. In public, both leave it to the party high command and elected MLAs.

THE KHARGE FACTOR

It is well-known that a majority of Congress MLAs are currently with Siddaramaiah. Fully aware of the power tilting in Siddaramaiah’s balance, DKS is trying to field as many candidates loyal to him as possible. Even though the party has already released a list of 124 candidates over a week ago without any serious protests, the remaining 100 seats have become a tricky issue, mainly because of the opposing interests.

A Congress insider involved in the elections asserted that party leader Rahul Gandhi favours Siddaramaiah for the post of CM and DKS will have to wait for his turn. “There is no comparison between the two of them. Siddaramaiah is a much bigger leader than DKS any day. By equating himself to Siddaramaiah, DKS has elevated himself to a higher level. He should be happy that he has now become a virtual number two. If he allows Siddaramaiah to become the CM again, he might even name him as his successor. Going against him, won’t work for DKS," he said.

The DKS camp dismissed these theories and arguments. They feel that Siddaramaiah should gracefully allow DKS to be the CM. According to some insiders, DKS and AICC president M Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also from Karnataka, seem to have joined hands to keep their common enemy, Siddaramaiah, at bay.

“We were expecting Siddaramaiah and DKS to gang up against Kharge, but DKS has joined hands with Kharge," said another party leader.

OPPN MOCKS THEIR ‘DREAMS’

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which is fighting its toughest battle, mocks both Siddaramaiah and DKS, describing them as “day dreamers". Former CM BSY said, “There is no way the Congress will come to power. Let them continue to dream, it costs us nothing."

JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy also maintains that neither Siddaramaiah, nor DKS has any chance. He roars that he will be the king or kingmaker on May 13.

A third faction in the Congress hopes someone from their camp might become the CM.

Siddaramaiah and DKS are two together, two alone. If the Congress wins, they might stay together for the sake of power, yet they can be alone.

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