Bengaluru: Amidst the power struggle between Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar, the latter, who held the post of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President post has decided to hang up his boots from the office.
Shivakumar completed his six year period as KPCC President on Tuesday and he took over as KPCC President on March 10, 2020.
He is the longest served KPCC President next only to the Home Minister Dr G Parameshwar, who worked as KPCC President for eight years between 2010-2018, To commemorate completion of six years in the office, Shivakumar has organised a party for the Congress legislators and KPCC office bearers on Tuesday evening.
However, Shivakumar is not interested in breaking the record of Dr Parameshwar and said that he had enough responsibilities in his hand. Besides being the KPCC President and Deputy Chief Minister, Shivakumar has been handling two major portfolios in the State, including Bengaluru City Development and the Water Resource. Besides, Shivakumar has been the trouble shooter for the party and will be deployed wherever the party faces crisis. Even now, he has been made a team member along with Priyanka Gandhi Vadhra to oversee the forthcoming Assembly elections to Assam.
A week ago, Shivakumar had told the media that he was not interested in continuing as the KPCC President. On Tuesday, he said that he would talk only tomorrow, after the day of his taking over passes.
Completion of six years is not the only reason for Shivakumar to quit the post. His detractors, especially Siddaramaiah and his team, are using Shivakumar holding two posts -- both in party and the government -- to deny him the coveted post of Chief Minister. Siddaramaiah, who is not interested in transferring power to Shivakumar as promised when the government came to power in 2023, has put the onus of changing him on the party high command. Caught in the crossfire, the Congress high command is buying time.
Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah has sought permission from Rahul Gandhi to reshuffle the cabinet, who has asked him to wait till the Assembly elections to five states.If Siddaramaiah gets permission for reshuffle, it would mean that Shivakumar will have to stay in the same position till the end of the term.
While toeing the party line, Shivakumar is now slowly making his presence and frustration felt. He is expecting the change in leadership after elections to five states. Before that, he has made his intention of quitting KPCC post public, though the change would happen only after elections to five states.
