Can DK Shivakumar turn around Congress’ fortunes in Karnataka?

BENGALURU: Several videos portraying KPCC chief DK Shivakumar as a superhero, ready to vanquish his rivals BJP and JD(S), are doing the rounds on social media. Their makers are none other than grassroots party workers, who believe he’s capable of reviving Congress’ flagging fortunes in Karnataka. But can he?
With the party weakened by a spate of desertions by its MLAs, factionalism and a series of electoral debacles, Shivakumar has his task cut out and certainly needs superhero powers to achieve it.
The Congress organisation needs a major overhaul. The party has been on a downward spiral following the drubbing it received at the hands of BJP in the 2018 assembly elections and 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Bypolls to 15 assembly seats last December made the situation worse, and uncertainty over appointment of a new president had left the party rudderless.
With BJP breathing down Congress’ neck in many parts of the state, Shivakumar will need to quickly devise a plan to prevent erosion of its vote bank. Revisiting the tried and tested policy of community appeasement can’t be the only strategy. Many people, especially youngsters, have lately been voting on the basis of issues.
For Shivakumar, the key is balancing the perception of JD (S) as a fierce opponent at the state level and the ‘all-weather’ friend at the Centre. There is a lot of confusion among people over the two parties’ ties.
The new chief will also have to put the party’s house in order. Talk of camaraderie and unity notwithstanding, there are too many elephants in the room. Shivakumar’s major challenge would be handling power groups in the party.
Though he seems to be doing his best to take Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah into confidence, the wily politician is not the one to get easily get carried away. Time will tell if Shivakumar can usher in an era of unity and reposition the party as the only alternative in state politics.
There will be multiple tests before the 2023 assembly polls, the immediate being the gram panchayat elections later this year. Congress is aware that if it wants to be a real contender, it must fare well in the panchayat polls and make the best use of anti-incumbency against BJP rule.

Shivakumar has to shore up the party’s fortunes in north, central and coastal Karnataka, which used to be Congress strongholds. According to analysts, his first challenge includes consolidating Vokkaliga support, which has now got divided between the three major parties. The task isn’t easy, considering that the Gowda family will be fighting to protect its turf and BJP is working on its strategy to make further inroads in Old Mysuru.
With his image having been dented in the money-laundering case, Shivakumar also has to regain public confidence.