D. K. Shivakumar

Some Lesser Known Facts About D. K. Shivakumar

• D. K. Shivakumar, a Congress leader in Karnataka, held key positions within the party, including KPCC President. He served as an MLA and held ministerial roles in the Karnataka government. With eight terms as MLA, he is known as one of India’s wealthiest politicians.

  

• He studied at National Public School in Bengaluru till 8th standard, after which he was suspended from the school due to his poor academic performance.

• During his time at RC College in Bengaluru, D. K. Shivakumar made the decision to pursue a career in politics. He chose to drop out of college and became a part of the Youth Congress, the youth wing of the Congress party. From 1983 to 1985, he held the position of General Secretary of the Karnataka State Youth Congress.

• At the age of 27, D. K. Shivakumar secured his first electoral victory in 1989. He was elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from the Sathanur constituency, located in Mysuru district. Running as a candidate of the Congress party, Shivakumar emerged triumphant in the election, marking the beginning of his political career.

  

• In 2002, D. K. Shivakumar’s leadership skills came to the forefront when Vilasrao Deshmukh, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra from the Congress party, faced a no-confidence motion. Shivakumar orchestrated a strategic move by gathering all the Congress legislators at a resort in Bengaluru for a week.

• After ensuring their safety, he successfully facilitated their return to Mumbai, where Deshmukh ultimately won the trust vote. Shivakumar’s role in this event showcased his effective leadership and organizational abilities.

  

• He provided assistance to his party’s leadership just before the Rajya Sabha elections in 2017 from Gujarat. He played a crucial role by accommodating 42 Gujarat Congress MLAs at his resort in Bengaluru. This strategic move was aimed at preventing the MLAs from joining another political party. As a result, Ahmed Patel, a member of the Congress party, emerged victorious in the election with the support of these MLAs.

• After the 2018 Karnataka assembly elections, D. K. Shivakumar played a pivotal role in the formation of a coalition government in Karnataka between the Indian National Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) parties.

  

• As the vote count results of the 2023 Karnataka Legislative Elections revealed a major triumph for his party, he became overwhelmed with emotions. He shared that he had made a commitment to Sonia Gandhi, the Congress party leader, to ensure a victory in Karnataka.

  

• He also recalled his promise to Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge. He also reminisced about Sonia Gandhi’s visit to him during his time in jail, reflecting on their enduring bond.

  

• Addressing the media, D. K. Shivakumar emphasized the importance of the Congress office, describing it as a sacred place for the party. He emphasized that crucial decisions regarding their future actions would be made within the premises of the Congress office.

  

• Among the 224 seats in the Karnataka Assembly, the Congress party emerged victorious by securing 135 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 66 seats, while the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) secured 19 seats. Additionally, independent candidates managed to secure 4 seats.

  

• He has made investments in cooperative banks, educational institutions, agricultural lands, and flats across different locations including Mysuru, Mumbai, Kanakapura, Bangalore, and Delhi. His property investments include holdings in companies such as Shobha Developers, Davanam Properties, Kabini Granites, Dalmia Cement, and more.

• He holds a strong belief in numerology and has a special affinity for the number 6. According to him, this number is governed by the planet Venus and possesses the ability to attract power.

• According to reports, during his early days in politics, D. K. Shivakumar was associated with Bengaluru gangster Ramachandra Kotwal, who acted as his mentor.

• In 2023, while he was invited as a guest at the talk show ‘Weekend with Ramesh,’ his eldest daughter Aishwarya talked about how she used to visit her father when he was in jail. She explained that she came up with a plan to disguise herself as a news reporter and changed her appearance by getting a bob haircut. At first, she wasn’t allowed to see her father, but she got an opportunity when the judge said that family members could talk to D K Shivkumar for 15 minutes while he was being taken to court. Aishwarya said,
  

  Even though I was present there, I was not allowed to meet my father as the authorities failed to recognise me in disguise. However, they did give me a chance and said that only if my father recognises me, I would be given a permission to meet him. Eventually, my father recognised me and then I had fifteen minutes to speak with him. It was much needed by me and henceforth, I had the courage to face everything that came my way and looked after the family members.”