Bengaluru: With chief minister DK Shivakumar already readying Congress machinery for the 2028 assembly polls, the BJP-JD(S) alliance is yet to settle a basic question: who will take him on? Increasingly, the answer appears to be HD Kumaraswamy of JD(S), though BJP has not committed to projecting him as the NDA’s CM candidate.Shivakumar has moved well beyond running govt. He has been announcing schemes and futuristic development measures, touring districts and visiting religious centres to keep optics going. His outreach to regions outside Congress strongholds is seen as part of a plan to ensure he has another stint as CM.BJP, the principal opposition with a substantial organisational network, is still struggling to find an acceptable face with pan-Karnataka appeal. BY Vijayendra, V Somanna, Jagadish Shettar, Shobha Karandlaje and Aravind Bellad are among names doing the rounds, but party brass is keeping cards close to its chest.Kumaraswamy has stepped into this gap. He has attacked Shivakumar over the Bidadi Township project, then the Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) and now sting operations, creating a furore that has put the CM on the defensive. His son Nikhil is also actively getting involved with protests and yatras.The NICE-BMIC row has sharpened the fight. Kumaraswamy accused Shivakumar and his family of personally benefiting from changes linked to the project. Shivakumar has dismissed the charge as baseless and challenged the former CM to substantiate it. The row is expected to continue alongside the Bidadi Township controversy, which is likely to emerge as a key poll issue.Supporters see an obvious advantage in Kumaraswamy: a former CM, Union minister and prominent Vokkaliga face, with a long-standing Old Mysuru base, who is willing to take on Shivakumar head-on. He also wields political clout in Bengaluru South district, Shivakumar’s home district.However, BJP functionaries insist the party should lead the alliance. Handing the CM projection to a JD(S) face could raise questions within BJP about its own claim to lead the next govt. Geography is another hurdle. Kumaraswamy’s base is Old Mysuru, while BJP needs a campaign that can reach coastal Karnataka, Kittur Karnataka, Kalyana Karnataka, Bengaluru and central Karnataka.Congress, meanwhile, is gaining from the opposition’s lack of a settled formula. Satish Jarkiholi, who earlier hinted at CM aspirations after 2028, has now said he can afford to wait and has backed Shivakumar to lead. Former CM Siddaramaiah remains a potent force, but Shivakumar holds the edge through incumbency and control over party machinery.Political analyst Vishwas Shetty said though Kumaraswamy has already begun positioning himself by leading the attack on govt, it is too early to name the NDA face until BJP picks its next state chief.Political strategist MB Maramkal said the choice is likely to go beyond personalities. “BJP will soon have to decide who will lead the party in 2028 and whether it is ready to let an ally lead the battle and accept the consequences. It should not repeat the 2023 mistake of picking a face without putting much thought into it. Party brass is already eliciting feedback from various quarters and checking backgrounds and credibility of aspirants. It could make an announcement possibly next month,” he said.Political strategist MB Maramkal said the choice is likely to go beyond personalities. “BJP will soon have to decide who will lead the party in 2028 and whether it is ready to let an ally lead the battle and accept the consequences. It should not repeat the 2023 mistake of picking a face without putting much thought into it. Party brass is already eliciting feedback from various quarters and checking backgrounds and credibility of aspirants. It could make an announcement possibly next month,” he said.
