Installations with photos of Chief Minister-designate D.K. Shivakumar and other Congress leaders, seen on Lok Bhavan Road in Bengaluru on June 2.
| Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

Speaker U.T. Khader speaking to reporters in Mangaluru on Tuesday, June 2.
| Photo Credit: H S Manjunath

Chief Minister-designate D.K. Shivakumar and outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah leaving after attending the Congress Legislature Party meeting at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on Saturday (May 30).
| Photo Credit: SHAILENDRA BHOJAK

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar sharing a ug during the breakfast meeting in Bengaluru on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Karnataka’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah submitted his resignation to Prabhushankar, Special Secretary to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on May 28. The Governor left for Indore, in Madhya Pradesh on May 27, for personal reasons. He was expected to return on May 28.

Mr. Siddaramaiah expressed confidence that his resignation would be accepted by the governor soon after he returns to Lok Bhavan.

He maintained that it was the responsibility of the governor to accept the resignation once it is submitted and make way for the next chief minister to assume office.

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Soon after submitting his resignation, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recollected the famous lines of Kannada actor Dr. Rajkumar who used to refer to his fans as ‘abhimani devaru’ (fan gods) to express his respect and gratitude to them.

“I am a politician. Constitution is my religion, and voters are my abhimani devaru (fan gods),” the CM said.

He thanked former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, and his colleagues in the party for giving him the opportunity to serve as chief minister of Karnataka.

Walk down memory lane

Going down memory lane, he said he was an ‘accidental politician’, with none in the family being in politics. He cited his rural background and recollected his journey in politics, from a member of the taluk panchayat, to minister, Deputy CM, Leader of Opposition, and chief minister (2013-18 and 2023-26).

In 2006, he said senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel (now deceased) got him to meet Sonia Gandhi and enabled his entry to the Congress.

“I have always believed in the ideals of ‘Buddha, Basava and Ambedkar’, and that wealth needs to be redistributed among all sections of society. I believe we need to create an equal society where all sections get equal opportunity. Both governments I have led have strived to ensure equal opportunities.”

He said that the Bhagya schemes of his earlier tenure (2013-18), and the guarantees of the present one, reflect his views on the matter.

Mr. Siddaramaiah, who has given importance to social justice, said, “Because of lack of equal opportunities, there are inequalities in society. To get rid of it, everyone should get equal opportunities.” Hence, the governments led by him in 2013 and in 2023 had made honest efforts to ensure that everyone in society gets such equal opportunities, he said.

“In 2013, we had given 168 promises, of which we have delivered 158 promises. In the manifesto for 2023, we had over 550 promises, of which we have delivered on 300 of them so far. Apart from that, we had announced five guarantee schemes, on which we have delivered. Till now, we have spent over ₹1.4 lakh crore on guarantee schemes till now.”

He brought up this issue in the press conference to emphasise that the Congress government in Karnataka has made every effort to fulfil its promises, despite claims in some sections of the media about the guarantee schemes depleting the State treasury.

He accused the opposition and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of running a misinformation campaign against his government with respect to guarantee schemes. Though they said that the guarantee schemes would derail the economy, the State stands number 1 in per capita income, and second in the country in GST collections.

“The rate of growth of India’s GDP is 7.1%, but 8.1% in Karnataka this year. The opposition has alleged I have taken a lot of loans, and the State is mired in debt. But this is a false allegation. I have answered this in the Assembly in my response during the budget session. Never have we crossed the limits imposed by the Karnataka Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2002.

‘Finances managed prudently’

He said that finances should be managed within parameters laid down in the Karnataka Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2002

For example, he said, a State’s fiscal deficit should be less than 3%, and for Karnataka the figure is 2.85%.

Loans should be less than 25% of a State’s GSPD. The State’s loans add up to ₹30 lakh crore, which is 24.94% of our GSDP, he said.

The third criteria is that a State should be revenue surplus. However, Karnataka is revenue deficit, for which he blamed the previous BJP government, claiming they mismanaged the State’s finances.

Pointing out that the revenue deficit is ₹19,500 crore, he squarely blamed the Union Government for not providing grants amounting to ₹11,495 crore, which was due to Karnataka. Similarly, ₹5,300 crore earmarked for the Upper Bhadra project had not been given by the Centre, he said.

‘Did not pursue power’

In 1978, he became a taluk board member. He became a legislator in 1983. His political career stretching close to 50 years, he claimed, is an open book. He claimed to have never wavered from his principles. “I never pursued power or money. I never aspired to acquire property. I never compromised on my ideology or values,” he said.

“I have never compromised with the issues related to water, land and language of Karnataka. These are the rights of people of the State.” he said.

He said that he owes his career to the Constitution, drafted by a committee chaired by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, which gives equal rights to every Indian. He said that he would not have become a member of the taluk board, a legislator, a minister, Leader of Opposition, Deputy CM, or CM had it not been for the Indian Constitution.

“Till my last breath, I will fight against communal forces, those who try to undermine the Constitution, and against those who prevent equal opportunities for everyone in society,” he said.

He jokingly thanked the mediapersons for tolerating him, and then, on a serious note, thanked them for supporting his work during the course of his career.

He said that he will continue in active politics, work for the people, and undertake any work given to him by the Congress party. “The Congress high command asked me to go to the Rajya Sabha. But with humility, I have told them that I am not interested in national politics, and that I want to continue in State politics,” he said.

Though Deputy Chief Minister and CM-aspirant D. K. Shivakumar was sitting next to him at the press conference, Mr. Siddaramaiah desisted from naming him as the next chief minister. When asked who will be the next CM, he said, “Whoever is chosen by the high command and the Congress legislature party will become the next chief minister.”

As we reach almost the end of the first month of the new year, the Congress government in Karnataka completes 20 months in office—a third of its 60-month (five-year year) term. The next 20 months will decide the fate of the government in the state. 

One notices that most regimes in Karnataka tend to slip perilously in the second phase of their terms, often due to a drift in governance and loss of focus. Ultimately, they find it difficult to recover from this non-performance and are shown the door. This explains the revolving-door politics seen in Karnataka since 1985, where no ruling party has been able to secure a clear majority at the end of its term.

Three principles define and decide the success of a state government: efficiency in governance, unity in the ruling party, and social harmony. A review of past governments would indicate that they failed to abide by all or at least two of these principles. 

Respond To Aspirations

There is enough empirical evidence to show that across the country, governments have been returned to power when voters perceive a dispensation to have performed reasonably well on key indicators of governance. A Lokniti post-poll study done in Karnataka after the 2024 Lok Sabha election shows that if the Congress was able to return to its 2014 Lok Sabha tally (nine seats), it had a lot to do with citizens’ perception of the implementation of its key guarantees. Its improved performance among women voters also underlines this trend. The Congress’s clean sweep in the recent by-elections was, along with other significant factors, also largely because of these guarantees. Thus, a focus on governance that responds to the aspirations of different segments of society is a sure route to success.

How public perception changes amid scandals and controversies involving the government and its leaders is also an issue. In the past, this factor has shifted the government’s attention away from governance to fire-fighting and damage control measures. The current government in Karnataka is facing a similar challenge currently. Will the next 20 months see it somewhat tiding over allegations of misuse of power, or will they further dent the image of the government?

Don’t Frustrate Voters

A second crucial element that has in the past derailed ruling parties is disunity. Electoral victories have been won on the basis of party unity. Sometimes, voters, frustrated by incessant infighting within a ruling party, may boot it out of power. The Congress had fought the 2023 assembly elections as a united force. Setting aside differences on who should be the Chief Minister, the focus was on coming to power first and then resolving the issue. On the other hand, divisions within the previous incumbent, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), were all too visible during its campaign for the elections. Now, though the ruling Congress has somewhat managed to resolve the leadership issue within its own ranks with an understanding between the top two leaders, internal strife has reared its head frequently and the top brass has had to intervene from time to time. The shadow boxing, mainly between the supporters of Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar, is patently visible. What has worked so far to the advantage of the Congress is that the state unit of the BJP is equally bogged down by infighting. 

The next 20 months would be crucial for both players. Past experience has shown amply that incessant internal squabbles can cost parties. While a stable leadership is important, it also needs to be smooth and demonstrate policy continuity.

Build Confidence—And Harmony

The third and final element of governance, social harmony, is a by-product of several factors. It requires maintaining law and order, the safety of women, religious peace, cordial relations between caste groups at the grassroots, and containing social acrimony. Achieving this implies that any ruling party will have to take a proactive approach and build confidence among all stakeholders. In the coming 20 months, one would look for indications of the same. Any lapse here can seriously erode public confidence.

(Dr. Sandeep Shastri is the National Coordinator of the Lokniti Network)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

Chikkamagaluru:

Seeking to downplay the power tussle within the Congress, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday said the people of the state have blessed the ruling party for five years and that he and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will continue functioning as per the directions of the high command.

With supporters hailing him as the ‘next Chief Minister’ on his arrival here, Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress President, said he does not need anyone’s support and will abide by what the party tells him.

“No one should worry; there is no need for any political turn. People have blessed us and given us an opportunity, and we will continue for five years. All the talks going on are without any value. The Chief Minister and I will continue functioning as per the directions of the party,” Shivakumar told reporters in response to a question.

Asked about workers or supporters demanding that he should be the next CM, Shivakumar said, “I don’t want anyone to demand anything from me; I don’t want anyone’s support. I do not need any legislator’s backing. This is between me and the Congress party. Whatever the Congress party says, I will function accordingly. I don’t want workers or legislators to shout for me or stand in my support. I will do my duty.” 

“I believe in the saying: ‘Karmanye vadhikaraste ma phaleshu kadachana’-make your efforts, and leave the results to God,” he added His comments came a day after his cabinet colleague K N Rajanna, who is close to Siddaramaiah, suggested that Shivakumar should aim to become Chief Minister by successfully leading the party in the next elections, rather than aspiring for the top post during the remaining two and a half years of the incumbent government.

Following Siddaramaiah’s recent dinner with select Dalit and Scheduled Tribe (ST) Cabinet colleagues, speculation about a possible change of leadership in Karnataka has created a buzz within the Congress. There are rumours of a “rotational chief minister” or “power-sharing” formula being implemented after March.

After the Assembly election results in May 2023, there was intense competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the Chief Minister’s post. The Congress eventually convinced Shivakumar to take the role of Deputy Chief Minister. At the time, reports suggested that a compromise had been reached under a “rotational chief minister formula,” which would make Shivakumar the Chief Minister after two and a half years. However, the party has not officially confirmed this arrangement.

Shivakumar, a Vokkaliga, has been open about his ambition to become Chief Minister.

A meeting of Congress leaders, ministers, and lawmakers from SC/ST communities, scheduled for Wednesday evening under the leadership of Home Minister G Parameshwara and supported by K N Rajanna, was postponed following instructions from AICC General Secretary in charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala.

Sources indicate that the postponement came after Shivakumar, a strong contender for the CM post, met AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal in New Delhi on Monday night to discuss party developments.

A section within the Congress believes that the planned SC/ST convention and Parameshwara’s meeting could revive the demand for a Dalit or AHINDA (a Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes, and Dalits) leader to become the next Chief Minister. This demand could complicate Shivakumar’s prospects if Siddaramaiah steps down after the state budget, as speculated.

Addressing criticism from the media and opposition leaders over his recent temple visits being labelled a “temple run,” Shivakumar said, “I do puja every day. I believe in dharma. For my wellness and the wellness of the state, society, and the people who believe in me, I pray. It is each one’s personal belief.” 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched a strong offensive against the Congress over its failure to fulfil promises after winning elections. He gave the examples of Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana where he said developmental and fiscal indicators have gone from “bad to worse”.

“The Congress party is realising the hard way that making unreal promises is easy but implementing them properly is tough or impossible. Campaign after campaign they promise things to the people, which they also know they will never be able to deliver. Now, they stand badly exposed in front of the people,” PM Modi said in a post on X.

“Check any state where the Congress has governments today – Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana – the developmental trajectory and fiscal health is turning from bad to worse. Their so-called guarantees lie unfulfilled, which is a terrible deceit upon the people of these states. The victims of such politics are the poor, youngsters, farmers and women, who are not only denied the benefits of these promises but also see their existing schemes diluted,” the Prime Minister said.

The Congress had promised many free schemes in Karnataka ahead of the assembly elections. However, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s comment on reviewing the Shakti free-travel scheme for women ran into a major controversy.

The Congress’s central leadership had to pull up Mr Shivakumar for even suggesting they’d review the scheme, while Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had promised similar schemes in neighbouring Maharashtra where election is due later this month.

“In Karnataka, Congress is busier in intra-party politics and loot instead of even bothering to deliver on development. Not only that, they are also going to rollback existing schemes. In Himachal Pradesh, salaries of government workers are not paid on time. In Telangana, farmers are waiting for the waiver they promised. Previously, in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan they promised certain allowances which were never implemented for five years. There are numerous such examples of how the Congress works,” PM Modi said in the post.

The Congress Party is realising the hard way that making unreal promises is easy but implementing them properly is tough or impossible. Campaign after campaign they promise things to the people, which they also know they will never be able to deliver. Now, they stand badly…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 1, 2024

Earlier, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge gave advice to the party’s units headed for polls, cautioning them to announce guarantees on the basis of their budget. Mr Kharge urged for careful consideration and warned that an unplanned approach could lead to financial difficulties and negatively impact future generations.

During the press conference, he underscored the importance of fiscal responsibility, stating that if the government fails to deliver on its commitments, it could result in a bad reputation and hardships for the community.

“In Maharashtra, I’ve said that they shouldn’t announce 5, 6, 10 or 20 guarantees. They should announce guarantees based on budget. Otherwise, there’ll be bankruptcy. If there’s no money for roads, everyone will turn against you. If this government fails, the future generation will be left with nothing but a bad name. They’ll have to live in exile for 10 years,” Mr Kharge had said.

Bengaluru:

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the government will hold discussions on the Shakthi scheme in view of many women preferring to pay for their tickets.

“Many women have been communicating to us through social media and emails that they would like to pay for their tickets. We will discuss this,” he said, while speaking to reporters after flagging off new Airavata club class 2.0 busses from KSRTC.

“About 5-10 percent of women are saying that the conductors are not taking money for the tickets even when they volunteer. I will soon hold a meeting with Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy and discuss this,” he added.

Mr Shivakumar said that KSRTC has made a name for itself in the country.

“It has received 112 national and international awards in the last year. This is a credit to the hard work of its employees. When KSRTC started, it had 120 busses. Today, it has 24,282 busses. After we came to power, we announced a plan to purchase 6,200 busses and we have purchased 3,400 busses till now. We have also initiated recruitment of 9,000 drivers and conductors,” he said.

He said that Karnataka has the most efficient transport system in the entire country.

“We have given jobs to about 1000 people on a compassionate basis. The families of employees who are killed in accidents are given Rs 1 crore compensation. We have the best system in the whole country,” he said.

“KSRTC is not for-profit firm, it is there to serve the people. The government gets good name due to the good work of KSRTC. Private players have come forward to provide fuel to KSRTC at a cheaper than market rate. We will discuss with all stakeholders and proceed on this. Ramalinga Reddy is doing a great job in the Transport department,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)