May 15, 2023 / 10:25 AM IST
Karnataka Election Results LIVE: Shivkumar or Siddaramaiah? Choice remains tough (1/2)
While the 60-year-old Shivakumar is considered to be a “troubleshooter” for the Congress, Siddaramaiah has a pan-Karnataka appeal.
If Siddaramaiah, who joined Congress after being expelled from JD(S), gets elected as the CLP leader, this would be his second stint as the Chief Minister from the party after having occupied the top post for five years between 2013-18. Shivakumar had served as Minister in Siddaramaiah’s cabinet.
Siddaramaiah, who has seniority on his side, is known for able administrative skills, and has the experience of having run a successful tenure as the Chief Minister. He also enjoys the distinction of having presented 13 budgets for the state as Finance Minister.
Being a mass leader, he has considerable clout among the AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) class. The mega 75th birthday bash of Siddaramaiah held last year in Davanagere was largely seen as an attempt by him and his loyalists to project him as the future CM.
Seventy-five-year-old Siddaramaiah, who has already announced that this was his last election, has been maintaining that the Chief Minister will be elected by the newly elected MLAs in consultation with the party high command.
