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‘D.K. Shivakumar: Congress’s Crisis Manager, Karnataka’s Kingmaker’, a publication by elder governmental writer Rasheed Kidwai, is acceptable for merchandise successful July. Meanwhile, Karnataka has been witnessing large governmental events, with Siddaramiah stepping down arsenic main curate and making mode for D. K. Shivakumar.
Mr. Kidwai talks to The Hindu astir the book, what stands retired astir the caller CM, and wherefore helium considers the ‘Kanakapura Bande’ (rock of Kanakapura) an astute determination strongman with nationalist appeal, a uncommon breed wrong the Congress.
Why a publication connected D. K. Shivakumar?
While determination are galore books astir precocious politicians, determination are not galore astir those who are successful the governmental arena. So, I chose to constitute astir immoderate of them because, successful a vibrant democracy, it is important to cognize who you are voting for, and what they basal for.
I person been covering Congress enactment for astir 25 years now. The speech astir Congress is mostly concentrated connected the Gandhi family. But determination are besides precise beardown determination leaders. This people is connected the decline, though, and that is the calamity of the Congress.
Such almighty determination leaders with gravitas and heft ever gully my attention. DKS is 1 specified leader, and I wanted to papers him.
There are precise fewer leaders who would lucifer his stature and whose inferior for the enactment goes beyond the State. Case successful constituent is however helium safeguarded MLAs from Gujarat erstwhile Ahmed Patel was facing difficulties erstwhile helium contested for a spot successful the Rajya Sabha.
He carries his principles into applicable authorities with ease. Here is simply a antheral who’s precise blessed to flaunt his spiritual affiliations, who would sing the RSS opus successful the State Assembly and get distant with it, who would cheer for the triumph of cricket teams…
Any governmental enactment needs radical with beardown roots successful society, which is thing Congress has mislaid implicit the years. When it comes to DKS, you tin idolise him, criticise him, mock him, but his heavy societal anchoring is undeniable.
What are your views connected the powerfulness transition?
The rotational main curate exemplary is simply a flawed strategy. This ‘two-and-a-half-year tenure’ is not determination successful immoderate publication of governmental science. So, it’s an innovation successful that sense.
In 2018, Rahul Gandhi posted a representation connected Twitter with Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia on with a Leo Tolstoy punctuation that stated: ‘the 2 astir almighty warriors are patience and time’. Mr. Scindia, of course, mislaid patience and joined the BJP. Congress faced this occupation is respective States.
But DKS believed successful patience and time, and it worked successful his favour.
What besides stood retired during this modulation is the mode Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramiah person conducted themselves. Mr. Siddaramaiah passed the loyalty trial with flying colours.
He sought much clip to make the grounds of the longest-serving Chief Minister of Karnataka, and helium got it. When Rahul Gandhi summoned him and asked him to measurement down, helium agreed, and helium was told to person the socio-economic survey report. It takes 2 to tango. Both Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramiah acted with grace. It’s precise uncommon successful politics.
What astonishing aspects astir DKS emerged portion researching for the book?
His household values, and his never-ending tendency to excel. Many defections person taken spot successful the Congress. But, DKS started his authorities from the Youth Congress, and that benignant of inheritance makes him precise solid.
What benignant of governance bash you expect from DKS successful the coming days?
Very antithetic from that of Mr. Siddaramaiah. DKS would beryllium a batch much flamboyant and unconventional. He knows determination are precocious expectations from him.
Age is connected his side. At 64, he’s neither young nor old. He has astatine slightest 10 much years to go.
His biggest task is to guarantee triumph for the Congress successful the 2029 elections. It is simply a gangly order. In 2024, erstwhile Mr. Siddaramaiah and DKS campaigned together, they got lone 9 Lok Sabha seats. This time, Mr. Shivakumar would beryllium expected to guarantee triumph for the Congress successful 20 oregon much of the 28 Lok Sabha seats successful Karnataka.
