DK Shivakumar Finally ready to take charge as Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah His resignation from the top post on Thursday was the culmination of the decades-long political journey of the Congress leader, who emerged as the party’s trusted troubleshooter and mass leader in the state.After the two leaders visited Lok Bhavan earlier in the day, DK Shivakumar’s supporters celebrated by distributing sweets outside his Bengaluru residence.In Kalaburagi, Indian Youth Congress members performed a special puja at the Sri Sharan Basaveshwara Temple and demanded that Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge be appointed deputy chief minister if Shivakumar holds the top post.

The rise and rise of DKS

From student politics in Bengaluru to becoming one of the most powerful organizers of the Congress party in Karnataka, DK Shivakumar has built a political career defined by flexibility, loyalty to the party high command and an unmatched reputation as a trouble-shooter.Known as a mass leader with keen organizational skills, Shivakumar began his political journey at the age of 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 the president of the Bengaluru district unit of NSUI while studying at Rama Narayana Chellaram College, Bengaluru. He later joined the Youth Congress and became the general secretary of its Karnataka unit.His entry into electoral politics was absolutely easy. In 1985, the Congress fielded young Shivakumar against veteran Janata Dal leader and future Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda in the Sathanur assembly constituency. Although he lost, Shivakumar attracted attention by putting up a tough fight against one of the tallest leaders of Karnataka.Two years later, in 1987, he was elected to the Bengaluru Rural District Panchayat from Sathanur. In 1989, he won his first assembly election from Sathanur on a Congress ticket, beginning a winning streak that cemented his position as one of the party’s strongest leaders in old Mysore.

Rise of DKS within Congress

Shivakumar’s rise within the Congress was rapid in the early 1990s. He played a key role in bringing the S Bangarappa-led government to power in Karnataka and was rewarded with a ministerial berth. As Jail Minister, he became one of the youngest ministers in the state cabinet.Even setbacks failed to stop his political rise. Denied a Congress ticket in the 1994 assembly elections, Shivakumar contested the election as a rebel candidate and won, underscoring his independent political strength and grassroots support.By 1999, Shivakumar had emerged as an influential strategist within the Karnataka Congress. He supported SM Krishna during his rise in the party and played a major role in the Congress campaign that won the assembly elections with 139 seats. Shivakumar organized a large campaign during the campaign and was credited with garnering support across the state. He won the Sathanur seat for the third consecutive time and was inducted into the cabinet as Cooperation Minister.Over the years, Shivakumar held several key portfolios, including urban development and energy. As Chairman of the State Planning Board and Cabinet sub-committees, she pioneered youth empowerment and women-centric initiatives such as Rajiv Yuva Shakti and Stree Shakti.His reputation as the crisis manager of the Congress Party continued to grow. Be it protecting MLAs during times of political instability or negotiating delicate alliances, Shivakumar has time and again proved his importance to the Congress leadership. In 2004, after the Congress-JD(S) alliance came to power in Karnataka, he played an important role in the internal negotiations despite not getting a place in the cabinet.Shivakumar also developed a reputation for rivaling the Deve Gowda family politically. In 1999, he defeated Deve Gowda’s son HD Kumaraswamy in Sathanur, despite the national stature of the JD(S) patron after his tenure as Prime Minister.

time of disputes

However, his political journey was not without controversies. In August 2017, the Income Tax Department had raided properties belonging to him. In September 2019, Shivakumar was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case, spending several weeks in jail before being granted bail. The episode triggered a massive show of support from Congress workers, further cementing his image as a leader who had weathered political and legal storms.

DKS revives Congress in Karnataka

Soon after his release, the Congress leadership reiterated its confidence in him. On March 11, 2020, Sonia Gandhi appointed Shivakumar as the President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), and tasked him with rebuilding the party in the state where it was struggling against the BJP.Shivakumar threw himself into reviving the organisation, by running an aggressive campaign coupled with grassroots mobilisation. Along with senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah, he led the party’s campaign in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections. The Congress registered a decisive victory and ended the BJP’s rule in the only southern state it ruled.The victory also intensified speculation about the chief ministerial post, with Shivakumar emerging as one of the strongest contenders due to his organizational role and electoral success. Although Siddaramaiah was ultimately selected 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 is the culmination of the decades-long journey of a leader who evolved from a student activist to the Congress party’s trouble-shooter in Karnataka politics.