BENGALURU: From the dusty streets of Dodda Alahalli village to the pinnacle of Karnataka politics, D K Shivakumar’s four-decade journey has been defined by challenges, victories and unwavering loyalty to the Congress.
His organisational acumen, political resilience and unwavering commitment to the party earned the confidence of the Congress high command, which appointed him president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) in 2020. The Congress had fared poorly in the 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections, and its fortunes worsened in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, where it managed to secure just one of the state’s 28 parliamentary seats amid the sweeping popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Amid the crisis, the Congress high command placed its faith in Shivakumar, appointing him KPCC chief in 2020 — a move that would eventually help revive the party’s fortunes in Karnataka. The Congress’ effective strength in the Assembly later increased to 140 with the backing of independent legislators, according to Shivakumar. He faced another major political test during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, once again showcasing his organisational and electoral skills by helping the Congress improve its tally in Karnataka from just one seat in 2019 to nine seats in 2024. Soon after the Congress formed the government in Karnataka in 2023, speculation emerged about a power-sharing arrangement under which Siddaramaiah would serve as chief minister for the first half of the five-year term before handing over the reins to Shivakumar. However, after the Congress government completed two-and-a-half years in office on November 20, 2025, speculation over a leadership transition and the power tussle between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar intensified. Eventually, Shivakumar was elected leader of the Congress legislature party here on Saturday and he is set to take over as the next Karnataka chief minister on June 3.
However, neither leader officially confirmed nor denied the reports, keeping the matter open to interpretation. Shivakumar assumed the role at a challenging time for the party in the state. Following the electoral setbacks, then Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao resigned, while Siddaramaiah stepped down as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party. He continued as the Karnataka Congress president as well, despite demands from some leaders for a change in the state unit leadership.