DK Shivakumar is set to finally take over as Karnataka chief minister after Siddaramaiah resigned from the top post on Thursday, marking the culmination of a decades-long political journey for the Congress leader who rose through the ranks as the party’s trusted troubleshooter and mass leader in the state.Supporters of DK Shivakumar celebrated outside his Bengaluru residence by distributing sweets after the two leaders went to Lok Bhavan earlier in the day. In Kalaburagi, members of the Indian Youth Congress performed a special puja at the Shri Sharana Basaveshwara Temple and demanded that Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge be appointed deputy chief minister if Shivakumar takes over the top post.
The rise and rise of DKS
From student politics in Bengaluru to becoming one of the Congress party’s most powerful organisers in Karnataka, DK Shivakumar has built a political career defined by resilience, loyalty to the party high command, and an unmatched reputation as a troubleshooter.Widely regarded as a mass leader with deep organisational skills, Shivakumar began his political journey at just 18 when he joined the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress. Between 1981 and 1983, he served as president of the Bengaluru district unit of NSUI while studying at Ram Narayan Chellaram College in Bengaluru. He later joined the Youth Congress and became general secretary of its Karnataka unit. His entry into electoral politics was anything but easy. In 1985, the Congress fielded the young Shivakumar against Janata Dal heavyweight and future Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda in the Sathanur assembly constituency. Though he lost, Shivakumar earned attention for putting up a strong fight against one of Karnataka’s tallest leaders.Two years later, in 1987, he was elected to the Bengaluru Rural Zilla Panchayat from Sathanur. In 1989, he won his first assembly election from Sathanur on a Congress ticket, beginning a winning streak that would cement his status as one of the party’s strongest leaders in Old Mysuru.
DKS rise within Congress
Shivakumar’s rise within the Congress accelerated in the early 1990s. He played a key role in helping bring the government led by S Bangarappa to power in Karnataka and was rewarded with a ministerial berth. As Minister for Prisons, he became one of the youngest ministers in the state cabinet.Even setbacks failed to halt his political ascent. Denied a Congress ticket in the 1994 assembly elections, Shivakumar contested as a rebel candidate and won, underlining his independent political strength and grassroots support.By 1999, Shivakumar had emerged as an influential strategist within the Karnataka Congress. He backed SM Krishna during the latter’s rise in the party and played a major role in the Congress campaign that swept the assembly elections with 139 seats. Shivakumar organised a major yatra during the campaign and was credited with mobilising support across the state. He won the Sathanur seat for a third consecutive term and was inducted into the cabinet as Cooperation Minister.Over the years, Shivakumar handled several key portfolios, including Urban Development and Energy. As chairman of the State Planning Board and cabinet sub-committees, he pushed youth empowerment and women-focused initiatives such as Rajiv Yuva Shakti and Stree Shakthi.His reputation as the Congress party’s crisis manager grew steadily. Whether it was safeguarding legislators during periods of political instability or negotiating delicate alliances, Shivakumar repeatedly proved his value to the Congress leadership. In 2004, after the Congress-JD(S) coalition came to power in Karnataka, he was instrumental in internal negotiations despite not finding a place in the cabinet.Shivakumar also developed a reputation for taking on the Deve Gowda family politically. In 1999, he defeated H D Kumaraswamy, son of Deve Gowda, in Sathanur despite the JD(S) patriarch’s national stature following his tenure as Prime Minister.
Time of controversies
His political journey, however, was not without controversy. In August 2017, the Income Tax Department conducted raids on properties linked to him.In September 2019, Shivakumar was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case, spending weeks in jail before securing bail.The episode triggered a massive show of support from Congress workers, further strengthening his image as a leader who had weathered political and legal storms.
DKS revives Congress in Karnataka
Soon after his release, the Congress leadership reaffirmed its faith in him. On March 11, 2020, Sonia Gandhi appointed Shivakumar as president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), tasking him with rebuilding the party in a state where it was struggling against the BJP.Shivakumar threw himself into reviving the organisation, combining aggressive campaigning with grassroots mobilisation. Alongside senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah, he spearheaded the party’s campaign in the 2023 Karnataka assembly elections. The Congress registered a decisive victory, ending BJP rule in the only southern state it governed.The victory also intensified speculation over the chief minister’s post, with Shivakumar emerging as one of the strongest contenders owing to his organisational role and electoral success. Though Siddaramaiah was ultimately chosen as chief minister, Shivakumar was named deputy CM — a recognition of both his political clout and his years of loyalty to the Congress.For many within the party, the appointment marked the culmination of a decades-long journey of a leader who evolved from a student activist into the Congress party’s go-to troubleshooter in Karnataka politics. Go to Source
