For years, D.K. Shivakumar was the eternal bridesmaid of Karnataka politics. He was always close to power, always indispensable to the Congress party, but never quite the chosen one.

Now, at last, he has arrived at the altar and is set to become the Chief Minister of Karnataka. But…

The question is not whether Shivakumar deserves the post, but will Siddaramaiah allow him to keep it?

For months, supporters of Siddaramaiah argued that Shivakumar’s alleged ‘corruption tag’ made him a liability for the Congress, hence he is not deserving of the CM post.

Siddaramaiah, they claimed, was the safer choice because he possessed a cleaner image. But is that true?

This brings to mind something Prime Minister Modi once said about former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

Modi remarked that only Dr. Singh knew how to “bathe with a raincoat in the bathroom.”

The point Modi was making is that personal integrity does not absolve a leader who allows corruption to flourish around him. The same applies                                         to Siddaramaiah.

Even if one accepts that Siddaramaiah himself was not personally corrupt, what of those around him?

The MUDA scam. The Valmiki Development Corporation scam. The Arkavathy Layout irregularities. Allegations of commissions for transfers. All of it happened on his watch, in his Government, under his leadership.

After submitting his resignation, Siddaramaiah declared, “My political life is an open book. I never compromised on my values or ideology.”

Really? That statement also deserves scrutiny.

There was indeed a time when Siddaramaiah was a genuine politician of socialist conviction and secular principle. There was indeed a time when Siddaramaiah was a reform-minded leader who challenged entrenched privilege. But that Siddaramaiah does not exist anymore.

Today’s Siddaramaiah appears less interested in ideology and more interested in electoral     arithmetic.

Today, he rolls out socialist schemes at election time and lives privately like an oligarch, wearing expensive watches, riding in luxury cars and wearing designer shoes.

Add to that Siddaramaiah  killed the Lokayukta instead of strengthening it. He raked up the Tipu Jayanti issue to divide society. He attempted to split the Lingayat community to weaken it politically.

These are not the acts of a reformer. These are the acts of a man who will do whatever it takes to win elections.

All the above actions have left a disappointing legacy for                  Siddaramaiah.

He could have been remembered as a truly secular statesman, a leader all of us, Kannadigas, could have been proud of, regardless of our caste or             community.

Instead, he will be remembered as an AHINDA leader who pursued a dynastic agenda for his son, left the State in deep fiscal debt and vacated his chair only when the high command asked him to.

These are the traits of every other politician and we here thought Siddaramaiah would be different, but alas.

Also, for a politician who frequently speaks the language of liberalism and social justice, which values empathy and generosity of spirit, Siddaramaiah often displayed remarkable intolerance towards criticism.

Many in the media will remember him for his vindictiveness and pettiness with an inability to accept dissent gracefully.

This is why Rahul Gandhi would be wise to keep a close watch on Karnataka.

The central question facing Congress should be whether Siddaramaiah’s primary objective for staying in State politics is to strengthen the party for 2028 polls or to strengthen himself.

The events of July 2019 provide reason for caution.

When the Congress-JD(S) coalition collapsed after a group of MLAs rebelled, many of those legislators were widely regarded as Siddaramaiah loyalists. One rebel MLA, Shivaram Hebbar, openly stated that they had merely followed Siddu’s advice.

The irony was extraordinary. Siddaramaiah was the Chairman of the coalition’s Coordination Committee, yet many believed he chose to bring his own Government down so he could be Leader of the Opposition, rather than sit as a powerless legislator in a coalition he didn’t control.

Whether that perception is entirely fair is almost beside the point. In politics, perception often matters more than reality.

And the perception that lingers is this: For Siddaramaiah, self- interest first, party second.

Shivakumar has been different. He has been married to the Congress party and only the Congress party. Unlike Sidda- ramaiah, who was first with the Bharatiya Lok Dal, then the Janata Party, then the Janata Dal, then the JD(S), then the Congress, while divorcing each alliance as convenience dictated.

Meanwhile, Shivakumar stayed with the Congress. He stayed when it was hard. He stayed when he was overlooked. He stayed even as Siddaramaiah’s loyalists quietly torpedoed the very Government Shivakumar had helped build.

By finally rewarding Shivakumar, the Congress party has sent an important message to its  party cadre that loyalty is not forgotten, that it shall be recognised and eventually rewarded. It is the right message to send.

As for Rahul Gandhi, he would be wise to keep a close eye on what Siddaramaiah does next.

The question is not whether Siddaramaiah respects the transition. The question is whether his eye is on 2028 for Congress to win or for himself to play a king-maker.

Whatever it is, Siddaramaiah  is the undoubted king of political machinations, so Shivakumar may wear the crown… for now, but peacefully? We’ll know soon enough.

e-mail: [email protected]