When Karnataka saw a fractured mandate in 2018, there was massive political drama with “resort politics” and the resignation of BS Yediyurappa. HD Kumaraswamy ascended the chief minister’s throne with politicians like Mamata Banerjee, K Chandrasekhar Rao, MK Stalin calling the JDS-Congress alliance an emerging force and a perfect answer to the BJP. However, the 2019 Lok Sabha elections proved to be something else for the Congress.
In the numbers game, BJP lost and Congress-JDS made it ahead by a narrow margin. This became possible thanks to two Vokkaliga leaders – HD Kumaraswamy and DK Shivakumar. Yeddyurappa of Lingayat and Siddaramaiah of Kuruba were surrounded.
From Siddaramaiah, Kumaraswamy and Yediyurappa to Bommai, Karnataka has seen four chief ministers in four years. Today DK Shivakumar and Kumaraswamy are face to face to become the Vokkaliga leader.
HD Deve Gowda and his family have been the first family to take the political leadership of the Vokkaliga family. He defeated SM Krishna, who is also Vokkaliga from Mandya.
DK Shivakumar is not only a dependent of SM Krishna, but also a part of his family, as his daughter married his grandson Amartya. After Deve Gowda, the battle for the Vokkaliga mantle is being fought by the second generation – DK Shivakumar and Deve Gowda’s son Kumaraswamy.
When Kumaraswamy was the CM, his son Nikhil contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Mandya, where all his 7 assembly constituencies were with the JD(S). However, he lost the seat. This proves that the dynasty politics of JDS is slowly leading to its downfall.
Meanwhile, Shivakumar’s popularity continues to grow. His jail time only ended up adding to the BJP’s woes. And despite opposition from Siddaramaiah’s faction, Shivakumar was made the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).
DKS has consolidated its position in most of the districts dominated by Vokkaliga community like Mysore, Mandya, Hassan, Ramanagara, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Chikmagalur, Shimoga, Bengaluru and more.
The rebellion within the JDS was exposed in the recently held Rajya Sabha elections. Most of the sitting MLAs of JDS openly stood in support of DKS and got Congress ticket.
Rising sentiments point towards Shivakumar becoming CM as Yeddyurappa’s absence is weakening the BJP and the collapse of the JD(S) with many MLAs passing out. The key question is whether this sentiment translates into votes and whether Shivakumar has emerged as the next Vokkaliga strongman.
Deve Gowda, Kumaraswamy, Sadananda Gowda, seer Nirmalananda Swamiji and DK Shivakumar occupied the stage during Kempegowda Day. Shivakumar went on stage to say that Kempegowda, Kengal Hanumanthaiah and SM Krishna were responsible for the development of Bengaluru, much to the dismay of Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy.
The assembly elections in Karnataka, currently ruled by the BJP, are likely to be held in eight months.
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