BENGALURU: As a celebratory mood engulfed the Congress headquarters in New Delhi over the victory of Ahmed Patel in the Gujarat Rajya Sabha polls, the party bosses lost no time in reaching out to Karnataka Energy Minister D K Shivakumar to congratulate him for his role in the episode.
Shivakumar, who sees himself as the Chief Ministerial candidate of the party in Karnataka, has seen his stock rise within the party after the Gujarat battle as he has yet again delivered what he had promised.
While Congress president Sonia Gandhi conveyed her appreciation of Shivakumar’s role in ensuring the victory of her political secretary in the election, Ahmed Patel himself profusely thanked Shivakumar.
The message from Sonia and Ahmed Patel was clear: “Your work and dedication will be rewarded for pulling off a great victory by humbling the political machinations of Amit Shah-Modi combination.”
Shivakumar has lived up to the faith of the high command in shielding the Gujarat MLAs from the reach of BJP’s tentacles when his own political survival was under threat following I-T raids on his premises.
Trying to sound modest even as congratulatory messages poured in, Shivakumar said, “I have only discharged the responsibility assigned to me by the party high command. The Election Commission has taught a lesson to all the political parties.”
Shivakumar had earned praise from party high command as the party in-charge during the Bihar Assembly polls when the party’s tally went up from the earlier four to 27. He has been seen as the go-to man for any tough missions in Congress.
The Gujarat victory is expected to change his political fortunes after his bid for the KPCC president’s post came a cropper. The victory has boosted Shivakumar’s bargaining power in the party and his stock is expected to soar if he succeeds in wriggling out of the I-T web.
While word is being floated on gifting him the Home portfolio in the Siddaramaiah cabinet, it is said that Shivakumar is not interested in such crumbs with just a few months remaining for the government to complete its term. He would rather aim big, befitting his image as a super showman in state Congress.