BENGALURU: Even as the Grand Old Party faced continuous factional challenges and internal rivalries over the past three years, on Friday it put on a fresh display of unity as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah resigned and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar is set to succeed him.
In a lengthy statement on X, Shivakumar lavished praise on Siddaramaiah, describing him as a “pillar of strength”, and underscoring the need for collective leadership. “Ever since I was entrusted with the responsibility of serving as KPCC President in 2020, Siddaramaiah avaru has stood firmly beside me like a pillar of strength. Together, we have worked shoulder to shoulder in strengthening the party and taking its vision to the people,” Shivakumar wrote.
“It has been a privilege to serve alongside him as Deputy Chief Minister and to continuously learn from his experience, wisdom, and political foresight. I sincerely hope his guidance will continue to inspire and strengthen all of us in the years ahead as we work towards Karnataka’s progress and welfare,” he added. Quoting the proverb, “If you want to walk fast, walk alone. If you want to walk far, walk together”, Shivakumar concluded by saying he looked forward to carrying the journey forward together for the people of Karnataka.
The effusive tribute comes after three years of frequent “unity” meetings, photo-ops, joint public appearances, breakfast meetings and statements aimed at downplaying reported differences between the Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar camps.
Political observers pointed out that the Congress high command had to repeatedly intervene to manage factional pulls, caste equations, and leadership ambitions ever since the party came to power in 2023.
Siddaramaiah formally resigned on Thursday, after completing the major part of the term under a power-sharing deal. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has accepted the resignation, and a Congress Legislature Party meeting is expected to formally elect Shivakumar as the new leader on Saturday, paving the way for him to take oath as CM.
While the leadership transition appears smooth on the surface, the heavy emphasis on unity once again highlights the underlying strains within the party. With the Assembly elections two years away, Congress appears keen to project stability and cohesion to prevent any damage from internal discord becoming a political liability.
“There is much talk of unity between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar and the smooth transfer of power is cited as evidence. But it is all orchestrated as the approach of the two to politics, their central goals and strategies to achieve them and their political persona are different. An artificial unity is projected to keep the governance smooth and ensure the party unitedly faces the 2028 battle as the BJP-JDS coalition is expected to challenge Congress,’’ said Prof Jayaramu, a political analyst.