Congress bets on D.K. Shivakumar with eye on 2028 polls, Vokkaliga vote and Old Mysore region
The Congress party has elevated D.K. Shivakumar to the position of Chief Minister of Karnataka, aiming to strengthen its position for the upcoming 2028 Assembly and 2029 Lok Sabha elections. This decision is seen as a strategic move to consolidate support from the Vokkaliga community in the Old Mysore region, where the party has made significant gains. The shift in leadership may lead to political friction with the Janata Dal (S), particularly with its leader H. D. Kumaraswamy, as both parties vie for influence in the region.
- ▪D.K. Shivakumar's elevation is part of a strategy for the 2028 Assembly elections.
- ▪The Congress party aims to consolidate Vokkaliga support in the Old Mysore region.
- ▪Political friction is expected between Shivakumar and H. D. Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal (S).
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Though elevation of Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar as Chief Minister of Karnataka might on the surface essentially seem like honouring a reported power-sharing agreement as per which he was to take over the mantle after reaching the half-term mark, in reality the Congress high command appears to have made the decision with an eye on the 2028 Assembly and 2029 Lok Sabha polls.Sources in the Congress point out that even if Siddaramaiah had been allowed to complete the full five-year term, the party would have faced a leadership crisis at the end of his term in 2028, as he would have been 80 by then, and would not have been in a position to lead the party in the next polls. Elevating the 64-year-old Mr.
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