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In this episode of Newstrack, we track the political journey of DK Shivakumar, who is all set to be the next Karnataka Chief Minister as Siddaramaiah resigned as the Chief Minister on Thursday.
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00:10Welcome to the special edition of NewsTrack. I'm Akshita Nandakopal. It's a stormy night
00:16in Bengaluru. But you're seeing calm as far as politics is concerned. Why? Because now
00:21it's clear that D.K. Shiv Kumar is set to be the next Chief Minister of Karnataka. The
00:26decks are cleared, all complications set to rest. And so over the next half hour, we're
00:31going to be giving you a sense of exactly what the D.K. Shiv Kumar Sarkara is going to
00:37be like in Karnataka. So join us on the special broadcast in this edition of NewsTrack.
00:53Karnataka, Game of Thrones, the final episode.
01:00Siddharamaya signs off. D.K.S. steps in.
01:04Whatever, Lesnar Party takes a decision, Congress's Lesnar Party takes a decision, and I command
01:12takes a decision. He will be the Chief Minister of this state.
01:27D.K.S. era in Karnataka begins.
01:30D.K.S. era in Karnataka begins.
01:44D.K.S. era in Karnataka begins.
01:47D.K. Shiv Kumar has worked from the grassroots right up as a leader who's always been the
01:53go-to crisis manager for the Congress to being the Deputy Chief Minister for the last many
01:58years. He's been fighting it out for this very moment. And this right here is finally
02:04his moment of reckoning where he's going to be the Chief Minister of Karnataka. Here's
02:09a detailed report of D.K.S.
02:10Shiv Kumar's journey and how for the last many years he's been fighting it out as the
02:15party boss in Karnataka, given many other responsibilities, but as someone who's had a track record since
02:211989 of never losing an assembly election.
02:32Dodala Halli Kempe Gowda Shiv Kumar, popularly known as D.K. Shiv Kumar, is one of Karnataka's
02:38most formidable political forces. A leader who rose from a modest farming family, he has
02:45climbed the ranks to become one of the most influential faces of the Congress in the state
02:50government, and the party's crisis man. From early on, Shiv Kumar showed sharp political
02:56instinct. He entered electoral politics in 1989 at the age of 27, when he contested and won
03:04the Sathanur constituency.
03:06And he never looked back. Over the decades, he has been elected eight times, never losing a
03:19single assembly election, a rare consistency in Karnataka politics. His political journey
03:26has seen him hold several key ministerial portfolios, each adding to his reputation as a strong,
03:33hands-on leader.
03:37But his biggest value lies in being the Congress's troubleshooter, due to his consistent success in
03:45managing political crisis, preventing the defection of party legislators and forming coalition
03:51governments against the odds.
03:54Whether it be acing resort politics to keep MLAs loyal during power struggles, or rapidly engineering
04:02the 2018 Congress JTS government in Karnataka under the BGP's nose, DKS is the party's ever-reliable go-to-man.
04:16A loyal Congress leader, Shiv Kumar worked relentlessly to strengthen the party's grassroots network.
04:24Now, after a year-long power tussle within the Congress, D.K.
04:29Shiv Kumar appears set to finally secure the top post that eluded him in 2023, when Siddhar
04:35Ramayya was chosen as chief minister, and he was made deputy chief minister.
04:42For D.K.
04:43Shiv Kumar, this could mark the culmination of a long political climb.
04:47From grassroots strong man to the man set to take charge of Karnataka.
04:52Bureau Report, India Today.
04:56Like I said, D.K.
04:57Shiv Kumar has been Congress's crisis manager.
05:00Their go-to man in every state, not just Karnataka, whenever they've been in a soup.
05:04He's been the man who's always landed up in those states, cleared up the mess for the Congress.
05:09So in that sense, the high command has always completely 100% had faith and trust in D.K.
05:16Shiv Kumar.
05:17This CM throne ultimately is also seen as a thank you, a reward for the many times that he's been
05:22there for the Congress.
05:39Aggressive, resourceful, organizationally sharp.
05:43D.K.
05:44Shiv Kumar today is more than just Karnataka's next CM.
05:48Inside the Congress party, he has always been known as Mr. Problem Solver.
06:02From reviving the Karnataka Congress machinery before the 2023 Assembly election, to managing legislators during political crisis, D.K.'s biggest
06:13strength lies in organization and execution.
06:19He is viewed as a leader who can mobilize workers, resources and alliances quickly.
06:28The Congress leadership also trusts his ability to negotiate difficult political situations.
06:35His recent involvement in Tamil Nadu Congress affairs is being seen as another example of the high command relying on
06:42him beyond Karnataka.
06:53But D.K.
06:54Shiv Kumar's rise also comes with complications.
06:57The biggest, his power tussle with incumbent CM Siddharamaya.
07:05Despite being credited for Karnataka Congress's electoral revival, D.K. had to settle for the deputy CM post after intense
07:13negotiations, before the high command intervened.
07:19Corruption allegations and past E.D. investigations also remain as a political baggage, the BJP repeatedly targets him over.
07:35For the Congress high command, D.K. offers something increasingly rare and an effective regional strongman with organizational control.
07:45If Congress expands further in the south, D.K. could emerge as a key strategist beyond Karnataka.
07:52His growing role in alliance management and interstate coordination may strengthen his claim within the party's national power structure.
08:07But the higher D.K. rises, the tougher the political terrain becomes.
08:12Managing internal Congress factions while balancing personal ambition with party discipline will remain his biggest challenge.
08:22Any instability in Karnataka, alliance friction in the south or electoral setbacks could directly impact his standing with the high
08:30command.
08:31BJP, too, continues to project him as a symbol of Congress's alleged corruption politics.
08:41For now, D.K. Shavakumar remains indispensable to the Congress.
08:46A mass leader for some, a master political operator for others.
08:51But one thing is clear.
08:53Whenever the Congress faces turbulence, D.K. Shavakumar increasingly finds himself at the centre of the response.
09:01Bureau Report, India Today.
09:07Ultimately, let's break down for you what really worked for D.K. Shavakumar.
09:12How is it that he's managed to get here to become the chief minister and fulfil his dream of leading
09:16the state of Karnataka?
09:18A couple of factors.
09:19One, that he constantly met with the high command, frequent visits to the national capital over the last many months
09:25and ensured that he was in regular touch with the AICC, with the Gandhis.
09:30And he constantly also kept reminding them of the promise that was made to him in 2023, that after two
09:35and a half years, he'd be made the chief minister.
09:38He avoided any public disputes, any ugliness, any bad blood with Sidramaya. Governance continued, and that was something the AICC
09:45truly appreciated.
09:46That irrespective of promises or not, he said, I trust the high command.
09:50He also kept his loyalists in check. It wasn't just him, but many of his loyalists who spoke out saying
09:55we want D.K. Shavakumar to be chief minister, left it there.
09:57They never criticised Sidramaya publicly. And that was something he controlled very, very carefully, that narrative.
10:04He constantly emphasised on party loyalty, on having faith in the party leadership and saying, ultimately, it's their decision.
10:11Constantly, if you ask him, are you unhappy? He used to say, I'm a congressman.
10:14And he's ultimately been rewarded for that loyalty, that faith and the trust that he's shown in the high command.
10:20D.K. Shavakumar versus Sidramaya. The Karnataka Game of Thrones that we've been reporting on for the last many months
10:27here on India today.
10:28Ultimately, D.K. Shavakumar has won. How did that happen?
10:32How did he outplay someone like Sidramaya, a veteran politician himself, an OBC leader?
10:39And despite that, D.K. Shavakumar has prevailed over Sidramaya.
10:42Let's break that down for you. A couple of factors that worked in D.K. Shavakumar's favour.
10:47Here's that detailed report.
10:52They say what's meant for you comes only when the time is right.
10:57And for D.K. Shavakumar, that moment has finally arrived.
11:03For years, whenever he was asked about his chances of becoming Karnataka's chief minister, there was one line he almost
11:11always repeated.
11:13Efforts may fail, but prayers never do.
11:17It was more than just a political line.
11:20For Shavakumar, it became a strategy for survival.
11:24And perhaps a road map to power.
11:28No major Congress leader in Karnataka has blended politics and spirituality quite like D.K.S.
11:35From high-profile temple visits to public displays of faith and spiritual outrage.
11:43Shavakumar carefully cultivated the image of a man waiting for destiny to deliver its verdict.
11:53But while the prayers were visible, the politics was equally relentless behind the scenes.
11:58Over the past few years, Shavakumar quietly transformed himself into the Congress Party's organizational pillar in Karnataka.
12:08But the biggest test came after the Congress returned to power in 2023.
12:16Sid Ramayya was once again coronated.
12:21And Sid Ramayya believed his mass appeal, a Hinda support base and backing among MLAs would shield him from any
12:30leadership challenge.
12:33For him, the mandate was personal as much as political.
12:39But Shavakumar's camp consistently maintained that a rotational chief minister arrangement had been informally worked out after the election victory.
12:49Sid Ramayya, however, repeatedly denied accepting any such deal.
12:53And insisted he will complete full five-year term.
13:02Is Mr. Sid Ramayya going to complete his full five-year term?
13:05Or are you going to sometime later this year give up chief ministership and maybe D.K.S.
13:13Sivakumar takes over?
13:14That is the buzz.
13:15I have already made it very clear that I am going to complete five years term.
13:24I will be the chief minister for five years.
13:27As the rivalry simmered beneath the surface, Congress found itself managing two competing power centers in Karnataka.
13:35While Sid Ramayya focused on governance and legislative strength inside the state,
13:40Sivakumar steadily strengthened his political equations in Delhi.
13:45Repeated statements from leaders from both camps slowly turned Karnataka into the Congress High Command's biggest internal balancing act.
13:58The fear in Delhi was clear.
14:00Allowing the uncertainty to drag on could damage governance, deepen factionalism and eventually hurt the Congress nationally.
14:09And this is where Sivakumar's political calibration stood out.
14:14Unlike many Sid Ramayya loyalists who openly mocked the rotational CM theory,
14:19Sivakumar rarely escalated the confrontation publicly.
14:22He carefully projected himself as a disciplined Congress loyalist, repeatedly insisting that the party's decision would always be final.
14:33That public restraint became politically significant.
14:37Because behind the scenes, Sivakumar maintained constant communication with Malikarjun Kargay, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra,
14:48quietly reminding the leadership of both his sacrifices for the party and the commitment made in 2023.
14:56At the same time, his supporters ensured the leadership change conversation never truly disappeared from Karnataka politics.
15:05The pressure was kept alive, even when Sivakumar himself avoided direct confrontation.
15:11That dual strategy now appears to have worked in his favour.
15:18During marathon meetings in Delhi this week, Sivakumar and Sivakumar separately met the Congress top brass,
15:24as the leadership explored a possible transition formula.
15:27The Congress's priority appeared straight forward.
15:31Prevent Karnataka from slipping into another Rajasthan-style faction war.
15:36And by finally nudging Sid Ramayya towards the exit path.
15:40The High Command seems to have concluded that Sivakumar's organizational utility,
15:44Vokaliga cast significance, political patience and years of loyalty outweighed the risks attached to a leadership change.
15:54For D.K. Sivakumar, this is not merely about becoming Chief Minister.
15:59It is the culmination of a decades-long political climb,
16:04marked by setbacks, ambition, loyalty, prayer and persistence.
16:11But the real challenge may begin only after the oath-taking ceremony.
16:18With Sagar Raj, Nagarjun Dwarakarnath and Masmi Singh, Bureau Report, India Today.
16:29Let's be clear that there are a number of challenges also for D.K. Sivakumar's Chief Minister.
16:34As we go into next week when he will take over as Chief Minister,
16:37besides of course what will play out in the party and the support that Sid Ramayya has within,
16:41there's also the governance challenges.
16:43So we break down for you his biggest strengths as a party loyalist,
16:47as someone who's a crisis manager, to the challenges that he'll face now as Chief Minister.
16:52We break that all down for you in our next report.
16:55For years, he has been the man behind the curtain, the troubleshooter, the deal-maker,
17:01the Congress loyalist who kept the party alive in its darkest days in Karnataka.
17:07Now, after decades in politics, D.K. Sivakumar, a worker legal leader,
17:12finally gets the Chief Minister's chair, his long-cherished dream.
17:19In Karnataka politics, numbers matter.
17:23And one number stands out, the Vokulika factor.
17:28The influential community accounts for nearly 12-15% of Karnataka's population.
17:34But its political influence stretches far beyond the numbers.
17:38From Mandia to Ramnagara, from Bengaluru rural to the heart of old Mysore,
17:46Vokulika dominance shapes electoral outcomes across southern Karnataka.
17:51And Congress knows, holding on to that support base is critical.
17:56Especially at a time when both the BJP and JDS are aggressively targeting Vokulika votes.
18:04History has also favoured the community.
18:07Seven of Karnataka's 23 chief ministers have come from the Vokulika community.
18:13And now Congress may once again turn to a Vokulika face.
18:18To balance caste equations and secure its southern fortress.
18:25Within the Congress, Sivakumar is seen as much more than a regional Satrap.
18:30As KPCC chief, he is credited with rebuilding the organization after the party's 2019 collapse.
18:39From Operation Lotus Battles to calming the internal storms.
18:43Managing rebel camps to scripting the Congress comeback in 2023.
18:48DKS has positioned himself as the party's ultimate crisis manager.
18:54His supporters call him the architect of Congress's revival in Karnataka.
18:59He has a strong organizational grip.
19:02A powerful political network.
19:05Has administrative experience across portfolios.
19:08And unmatched fundraising abilities within the party's structure.
19:15All of that makes DKS one of Congress's most influential state leaders today.
19:20But the road to the top job is far from smooth.
19:26Corruption allegations and ED cases continue to shadow his political image.
19:31Opponents have time and again accused him of aggressive power politics.
19:36And within the Congress too, there are concerns over acceptability among sections of the Ahinda block loyal to Siddharamaya.
19:46That means even if Shiv Kumar rises, power sharing equations may continue behind the scenes.
19:55The Siddharamaya camp is unlikely to disappear quietly.
19:58The BJP is expected to sharpen corruption attacks.
20:02And Bengaluru's governance challenges could quickly become a political test for Shiv Kumar.
20:08But for him, this may still be the biggest political opening of his career.
20:15A successful stint as Chief Minister would cement his hold over Karnataka.
20:20Will give him a chance to emerge as the party's tallest leader.
20:25He can expand his Vokal Liga base after becoming the CN.
20:29And can push the Bengaluru-focused governance model.
20:32It could also elevate him into the Congress's national power circle.
20:39Because in Karnataka, the battle is no longer just about who governs.
20:44It is about who inherits the Congress legacy after Siddharamaya.
20:50And if Shiv Kumar gets his dream job, he surely has a lot to prove.
20:57Bureau Report, India Today.
21:02That's all we have time for on this special broadcast.
21:04You can see that it's pouring down here in Bengaluru.
21:07Lovely weather.
21:08But as the rain pours down, the political temperatures have finally settled.
21:12A new chief minister is set to take over the state of Karnataka.
21:16We'll continue tracking all the latest updates.
21:18That's all we have time for on this broadcast.
21:20Thanks for tuning in.
21:21Good night.
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