In 1981, a 19-year-old student leader of Ram Narayan Chellaram College in Bengaluru was looking at a political career ahead. Taking his first steps as Congress student wing NSUI’s Bengaluru district unit president from 1981 to 1983, and then becoming general secretary of Youth Congress’ Karnataka unit, little did the youngster know he would be sworn in as the 18th chief minister of Karnataka 45 years later.
As that youngster—the May 15, 1962-born Doddalahalli Kempegowda Shivakumar (popularly known as “DKS”)—takes oath as the CM of Karnataka on June 3, 2026, it will be the pinnacle of his political career so far.
One word describes him aptly: “Trouble-shooter”. He earned it through his “never-say-die” attitude. During the 2017 Gujarat Rajya Sabha polls, when Congress was faced with a strong probability of its MLAs being poached, DKS emerged a saviour by taking 44 Gujarat MLAs to a luxury resort in Bengaluru’s vicinity, shielding the flock from being poached. He had carried out a similar mission in Maharashtra in 2002, saving the Congress government again.
His daredevilry and his untiring proclamations of being a “thoroughbred Congress man” imprinted a stamp of loyalty, making him the go-to man in crises, winning the party high command’s hearts, and picking him as the most wanted for the top post in Karnataka today with better prospects for Congress in the 2028 assembly polls and the general elections in 2029.
DKS exhibited his capabilities impressively in political contests. In 1985, DKS first attracted the attention of his party seniors despite losing to the then united Janata Dal heavyweight—and later Prime Minister of India – HD Deve Gowda in Sathanur constituency in a tough contest.
DKS has never looked back since his first assembly seat win in 1989 at age 27, when he was given a cabinet berth in the Veerendra Patil government as Minister of Prisons and Home Guards. But his journey was never smooth. Many recall how Shivakumar, a close confidante of former CM SM Krishna, had to wait for months before being inducted into the cabinet after Congress came to power in 1999. He later emerged as Krishna’s blue-eyed minister. Again, in 2013, when Congress formed the government under Siddaramaiah, he had to wait for a few months to be inducted into the cabinet.
Even now, DKS had to wait for his turn to get the CM’s gaddi. As Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president since March 2020, he worked tirelessly to turn the fortunes of Congress, which was on a losing streak till for a few years till 2023. The party won 136 of 224 assembly seats in the 2023, and the win boosted Congress’s morale ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, besides inspiring Congress victories in Telangana and Himachal Pradesh. That justified DKS’ claim for the top post, but had to wait in favour of Siddaramaiah with whom a purported deal was reached on DKS taking over the CM’s post after the five-year tenure’s half-way mark was reached in November 2025. It came six months overdue.
The worst crisis in his political life was when I-T officials raided his and his close associates’ properties in 2017. He was also arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), having to spend about 50 days in Tihar Jail in Delhi. He was under the scanner of multiple central agencies, making him one of the richest legislators in India under intense scrutiny.
Many predicted an end to his political career, but he converted a crisis into an opportunity by garnering support and sympathy from his Vokkaliga community and the confidence of the party’s central leaders.
DKS is known to be more popular among the party cadres, given his more youthful and direct approach. This could stand in good stead especially with elections to the five corporations of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and local bodies polls—the first test for DKS, who as a Bengaluru Development Minister, visualised several big-ticket projects in the state capital. Also, as Water Resources Minister, he pushed hard for the implementation of the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir project near Kanakapura.
DKS is known to be a God-fearing man, believing in astrology, Vaastu and guidance from his spiritual mentor Rajguru Dwarkanath. He has a futuristic vision for Bengaluru, with challenges looming.