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Eight-time MLA Doddaalahalli Kempegowda Shivakumar, popularly called ‘DKShi’, has established himself arsenic 1 of Karnataka’s astir resourceful Congress leaders. With Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s resignation, the Congress party’s main strategist and trouble-shooter successful South India, is acceptable to get the apical occupation successful Karnataka.
A steadfast believer successful Hindu taste individuality and spiritual practices, Mr. Shivakumar is known for often saying, “Efforts whitethorn fail, but prayers bash not.” The operation often served arsenic his cryptic effect to persistent speculation implicit the main ministerial powerfulness tussle successful caller months.
The 64-year-old combined governmental networking successful Delhi’s powerfulness corridors with formidable grassroots power successful his location turf — a strategy that helped him found himself some a person and businessman. With declared household assets worthy hundreds of crores, helium is among the wealthiest legislators successful India.
Born connected May 15, 1962, into a humble agrarian Vokkaliga household successful Kanakapura successful Bengaluru South district, D.K. Shivakumar entered authorities astatine a young property done pupil activism and the Youth Congress. Despite lacking a governmental lineage, helium steadily built a grassroots web successful the Old Mysore region, peculiarly among the land-owning Vokkaliga community.
Tussle for the apical spot successful Karnataka: A timeline
His archetypal large governmental trial came successful 1985, erstwhile the comparatively chartless 23-year-old Congress campaigner took connected H.D. Deve Gowda successful the erstwhile Sathanur constituency and suffered a constrictive defeat. The contention earned him designation wrong the Congress for his assertive governmental benignant and organisational abilities.
In 1989, helium was elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly for the archetypal clip from Sathanur. Since then, helium has remained electorally undefeated. Mr. Shivakumar archetypal became a Minister astatine the property of 30 successful the S. Bangarappa Cabinet, handling the Prisons portfolio.
In 1994, aft the Congress denied him a ticket, helium contested arsenic an Independent and won.
His rivalry with former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda’s household became a defining diagnostic of his governmental career. In 1999, helium defeated H.D. Kumaraswamy successful the Sathanur constituency. He cemented his governmental stature successful 2004 erstwhile helium played a cardinal relation successful helping writer and Congress campaigner Tejaswini Gowda decision Deve Gowda successful the Lok Sabha elections from the erstwhile Kanakapura constituency.
National prominence
His nationalist prominence grew importantly during episodes of governmental instability. In 2017, helium hosted Congress MLAs from Gujarat astatine a Bengaluru resort to safeguard Ahmed Patel’s prospects successful the Rajya Sabha elections. He had played a akin relation successful 2002 erstwhile Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh faced a no-confidence motion.
In 2019, Mr. Shivakumar was astatine the centre of efforts to support Congress and JD(S) MLAs during the governmental situation that yet led to the illness of the conjugation authorities headed by H.D. Kumaraswamy. These episodes strengthened his estimation arsenic the Congress party’s main “crisis manager” but besides brought him nether aggravated scrutiny from cardinal investigative agencies. In 2019, helium was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate successful a wealth laundering lawsuit and spent 50 days successful Delhi’s Tihar Jail earlier being granted bail.
Karnataka: Amid hectic discussions, curiosity grows implicit caller Cabinet formation
Mr. Shivakumar is often referred to successful sections of the media arsenic ‘Kanakapura Bande’ (Rock of Kanakapura), a nickname reflecting some his resilient governmental persona and his refusal to beryllium intimidated by cardinal investigative agencies.
Despite ineligible and governmental challenges, Mr. Shivakumar’s stature wrong the Congress continued to rise. As State Congress president, helium played a cardinal relation successful the party’s triumph successful the 2023 Assembly elections.
That steadfast loyalty has made him indispensable to the Gandhi household and the Congress precocious command. In an epoch erstwhile governmental defections person go commonplace, it has besides made him thing of an exception. His refrain — “I americium a calved Congressman; I volition dice arsenic a Congressman” — remains his changeless reminder to enactment workers astir the value of loyalty.
Mr. Shivakumar’s long-standing vow to support his beard until helium becomes Chief Minister is yet acceptable to end.
