Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar– Two aspiring CMs in the race for the state's top post

Bengaluru: After the Congress' emphatic 135-seat win in the May 10 Karnataka Assembly polls, the focus has now shifted to the all-important question, "Who will be the Chief Minister." And the race for the top post has heated up between old warhorses Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar, with both leaders making no secret of their ambition to lead the southern state.

The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) has unanimously authorised All India Congress Committee (AICC) President M Mallikarjun Kharge to pick its leader, who will be the next chief minister of the state.

Here is a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis of the two aspiring CMs.

Siddaramaiah:

Strengths

• Mass appeal across the state
• Popular among a large section of Congress legislators
• Experience of having run a full-term government as Chief Minister (2013-18).
• Able administrator with experience of having presented 13 budgets.
• Clout among the AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits).
• Strong ability to take on BJP and JD(S), most importantly PM Modi and his government on issues.
• Considered close to Rahul Gandhi and apparently has his backing.

Weakness

• Not so much organisationally connected with the party.
• Failure in bringing the Congress government back to power in 2018 under his leadership.
• Still considered an outsider by a section of Congress old guard. He was formerly with the JD(S).
• Age factor- Sidddaramiah is 75.

Opportunities

• Acceptability, appeal and experience to take along every one to run a government with a decisive mandate, and strengthen Congress for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
• IT, ED and CBI cases against opponent Shivakumar, who is also eyeing the CM post.
• Last election and last chance to become CM.

Threats

• Uniting of senior Congress old guards like Mallikarjun Kharge, and G Parameshwara, who have missed becoming CM because of Siddaramaiah, also B K Hariprasad, K H Muniyappa among others against him.
• Call for a Dalit CM.
• Shivakumar's organisational strength, party's 'troubleshooter' tag, loyalty image across the country, and closeness to Gandhi family, especially Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

D K Shivakumar:

Strengths

• Strong organisational capabilities and having led the party to victory in elections.
• Known for party loyalty.
• Considered Congress' ace troubleshooter during difficult times.
• Resourceful leader.
• Has the backing of the dominant Vokkaliga community, its influential seers and leaders.
• Closeness to Gandhi family.
• Age factor on his side.
• Long political experience; has handled various portfolios.

Weakness

• Cases against him before IT, ED and CBI.
• Jail term in Tihar
• Lesser mass appeal and experience compared to Siddaramaiah.
• Clout by and large limited to the Old Mysuru region.
• Not having much backing from other communities.

Opportunities

• Congress' domination of the Old Mysuru region would go to Shivakumar, a Vokkaliga.
• KPCC President, as the natural choice to be the CM, like in the case of SM Krishna and Veerendra Patil.
• Chances of the party old guard backing him.

Threats

• Siddaramaiah's experience, seniority and mass appeal.
• Chances of large number of MLAs backing Siddaramaiah.
• Legal hurdles because of cases filed by central agencies.
• Call for a Dalit or Lingayat CM.
• Rahul Gandhi's apparent backing of Siddaramaiah.