Congress strongman DK Shivakumar has kept a relatively low profile ever since his return from Tihar Jail earlier in October. Shivakumar has for long been described as the party's troubleshooter, and yet, the party seems to have curbed his involvement in the election campaign for the upcoming bye-polls to only Vokkaliga strongholds.
On November 18, DK Shivakumar told the media that he would not play an active role in campaigning for the bye-elections. Although Shivakumar said that it was his choice to stay away from campaigning, he did start campaigning and visited Hosakate, KR Pura, Hunsur and a few other places. He is expected to campaign in a few constituencies in Bengaluru in the coming days.
However, Shivakumar’s absence from Belagavi’s Gokak — the segment where the most contentious fight is underway — is curious. Gokak’s significance to Shivakumar is huge, especially since BJP candidate Ramesh Jarkiholi, formerly with the Congress, was the one who quarrelled with Shivakumar and roused a rebellion that destroyed the Congress-JD(S) coalition.
A sugar baron from the region, Ramesh Jarkiholi’s former mentee-turned-foe, Lakshmi Hebbalkar, had orchestrated a power struggle in October 2018 where she bested him and became the President of the PLD Bank with the help of her new mentor – DK Shivakumar.
Ramesh Jarkiholi had turned sour after the defeat and took it upon himself to challenge DK Shivakumar in every possible way.
Ramesh Jarkiholi openly rebelled against the party after his defeat in the PLD Bank elections and after trying to topple the government eight times, he was finally successful in July this year, when 17 MLAs resigned en masse and brought down the coalition.
Shivakumar’s return from prison had set off massive speculation that he would campaign for the Congress candidate Lakhan Jarkiholi in the region to ensure Ramesh Jarkiholi’s defeat. The fight between Jarkiholi and Shivakumar is obviously personal.
However, Congress insiders say that Shivakumar has been restricted to campaigning in the Vokkaliga-dominated areas and will refrain from interfering in Belagavi’s politics. Shivakumar has so far campaigned in Hunsur and KR Puram in Bengaluru and has maintained a low profile as Satish and Lakhan Jarkiholi – the brothers of Ramesh — have put their foot down and demanded that Shivakumar not interfere in their turf.
Shivakumar had wanted to bring in former BJP leader Ashok Poojary, the current JD(S) candidate fighting for the Gokak seat, into the Congress and offer him a ticket. However, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah did not want Shivakumar to prevail and ensured that Lakhan bagged the ticket. Lakhan and his older brother – MLA from Yemkanmardi, Satish Jarkiholi had threatened to support Ramesh in the bye-election if their demands were not met.
Congress sources say that it was on Siddaramaiah’s insistence that Shivakumar is not campaigning in Gokak. The relationship between the duo has been tenuous since Siddaramaiah joined the Congress in 2006.
Siddaramaiah had also stopped Shivakumar from becoming the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President in 2017. The post went to the incumbent Dinesh Gundu Rao.
“During the coalition’s rule in 2018 too, the tussle was between supporters of Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar. Shivakumar tried to sideline those who were close to Siddaramaiah. Ultimately, Siddaramaiah’s followers were the ones who rebelled because of the power struggle between the two leaders,” the Congress source said.