Bengaluru, 3 June

Karnataka’s new Chief Minister DK Shivakumar faces the task of steering the Congress through rising anti-incumbency ahead of the 2028 Assembly polls.

Some challenges are inherited, while others stem from his own tenure in government.

His first challenge is Cabinet formation – the government has inducted 13 ministers in the first phase against the sanctioned strength of 34, including the Chief Minister.

Shivakumar will have to navigate the caste tightrope, while also bearing in mind that a Vokkaliga leader has replaced an AHINDA (minorities, backward classes and Dalits) stalwart, meaning that voting patterns could be upset in 2028.

How Shivakumar acts on the socio-economic survey (caste survey), a hallmark project of Siddaramaiah’s government, could make or break the Congress. His Lingayat-Vokkaliga support base has opposed the report, while AHINDA communities largely favour it. To manage this, he must balance loyalists and Siddaramaiah supporters while inducting the remaining ministers.

The absence of former housing minister Zameer Khan from the Cabinet after the alleged leak-call controversy over the Davangere South bypoll has already caused unease within the party.

Assigning portfolios is another challenge. Shivakumar held the crucial Bengaluru Development portfolio in the Siddaramaiah government and became the face of criticism over the City’s crumbling infrastructure, even as Congress leaders blamed the previous BJP government. Ministers Ramalinga Reddy and Krishna Byre Gowda, besides Shivakumar himself, are seen as contenders for the post.

One of Shivakumar’s flagship initiatives was replacing the BBMP with the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). However, elections to the civic body have long been delayed, and he will need to revive the infrastructure push if Congress hopes to retain urban support.

His ambitious ‘Brand Bengaluru’ proposals as the Bengaluru minister themselves are not without criticism. His twin tunnel road project, the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) and Bidadi Integrated Township have sparked protests against environmental degradation and massive land acquisition.

The monsoon could further expose the agrarian crisis. Inter-state river disputes involving Mekedatu, Upper Krishna and Mahadayi remain unresolved, despite Shivakumar being the irrigation minister. Last year, there were floods in several North Karnataka regions, but the possibility of below-normal rains could spell trouble.

Compounding Shivakumar’s woes is the financial record. Siddaramaiah presented a record number of finance budgets and was able to formulate responses to the BJP’s criticism of the signature Guarantee schemes. Shivakumar has indicated that the government would review the beneficiaries, and how he manages the schemes could indicate how well the Congress sticks to its promises.