Even before Chief Minister-designate D.K. Shivakumar takes oath in Bengaluru on 3 June, Opposition parties have sharpened their attacks on the Indian National Congress in Karnataka, alleging that the ruling party remains mired in factional power struggles rather than focusing on governance. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal (United) have seized on the leadership transition — from Siddaramaiah to Shivakumar — as evidence of chronic internal dysfunction within the Congress.

BJP's Reaction to the Leadership Transition

BJP leader T.R. Srinivas was among the first to respond, framing the prolonged internal contest as a political drama finally reaching its conclusion. 'The Game of Thrones has finally ended in Karnataka. I extend my best wishes to D.K. Shivakumar, the Chief Minister-designate, for taking oath. I hope he will focus on governance issues such as urban distress, rural distress, farmer distress and overall administrative challenges, as there is currently perceived policy paralysis in Karnataka and public dissatisfaction with governance,' Srinivas claimed.

BJP Karnataka President B.Y. Vijayendra went further, arguing that a change at the top would do little to alter the state's development trajectory. 'The Congress government has not carried out any significant development work during the last three years. Even if D.K. Shivakumar becomes Chief Minister, Karnataka will not witness any major development. The Congress government has tied its own hands through its guarantee schemes, and a change in leadership will not alter the development scenario in the state,' Vijayendra claimed.

JD(U) Points to Rahul Gandhi's Delayed Intervention

Janata Dal (United) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad claimed that the drawn-out transition reflected a deeper pattern of delayed crisis management by the Congress leadership. 'Look, this was bound to happen, and we had expressed our concerns earlier as well. Rahul Gandhi took quite a long time to make a decision on Karnataka. The reason is that whenever internal factionalism or dissatisfaction grows within a state unit, Rahul Gandhi does not intervene until the party is on the verge of breaking apart. This is just an indication of the ongoing tug-of-war over the Cabinet,' Prasad said.

How the Leadership Change Came About

The Congress Legislature Party recently elected D.K. Shivakumar as its new leader, formally paving the way for him to succeed Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister of Karnataka. The transition ends months of speculation over when and how the power-sharing arrangement between the two senior Congress leaders would be resolved. Shivakumar is scheduled to be sworn in on 3 June in Bengaluru.

Cabinet Formation and What Comes Next

Attention has now shifted to the composition of the new Cabinet, with discussions underway over ministerial allocations, deputy chief minister posts, and the appointment of a new Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief. Senior Congress leaders, including Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, have held consultations with the party high command in New Delhi as the leadership works to balance regional, caste, and political equations in the new government. The Cabinet's final shape is expected to be a key indicator of how successfully the Congress can manage its competing internal interests ahead of future electoral cycles.