Chief Minister-designate D. K. Shivakumar with his predecessor Siddaramaiah, in Bengaluru on June 3, 2026.
‘D.K. Shivakumar: Congress’s Crisis Manager, Karnataka’s Kingmaker’, a book by senior political journalist Rasheed Kidwai, is set for release in July. Meanwhile, Karnataka has been witnessing major political events, with Siddaramiah stepping down as chief minister and making way for D. K. Shivakumar.Mr. Kidwai talks to The Hindu about the book, what stands out about the new CM, and why he considers the ‘Kanakapura Bande’ (rock of Kanakapura) an astute regional strongman with national appeal, a rare breed within the Congress.
Why a book on D. K. Shivakumar?
While there are many books about late politicians, there are not many about those who are in the political arena. So, I chose to write about some of them because, in a vibrant democracy, it is important to know who you are voting for, and what they stand for.
I have been covering Congress party for about 25 years now. The conversation around Congress is largely concentrated on the Gandhi family. But there are also very strong regional leaders. This tribe is on the decline, though, and that is the tragedy of the Congress.
