Sometimes any publicity is good for those who want to hog the limelight. It looks like IT raids on Karnataka's Energy Minister DK Shivakumar has made him a minister with national recognition. Along with cases on illegal mining and land grabs DKShi as he is called in Karnataka, is said to be the second richest minister in India.
DK Shivakumar as reported by Times of India in its 2016 report stated that he owns Rs 251 crore worth assets. He is said to be having a liability of Rs 105 crore. This declaration was made during 2013 election. In the 2008 elections, DK Shivakumar had declared a property worth Rs 75 crore with Rs 64 crore liabilities, making him one of the richest politicians in the country.
However, it is surprising that his assets grew enormously within five years.
Currently, he is the Minister for Energy in Siddaramaiah's Cabinet in Karnataka. He has also taken charge of the Gujarat MLAs who are being treated well in the Eagleton Resort in Karnataka. The MLAs were brought to the Bengaluru resort to prevent them from joining BJP and making sure that they vote for Congress candidate Ahmed Patel in the Rajya Sabha.
Thus DK Shivakumar was given the responsibility of looking after the MLAs as he is considered strong not only financially but even because he has a strong support base.
But his political journey was not an easy one. He contested for the first time against former PM Deve Gowda from Sathanur Assembly and lost. But to Shivakumar's luck, Deve Gowda chose Holenarasipur Constituency (as he had contested from both the places) and Shivakumar won Sathanur in the by-election.
Then again in 1989, he contested Lok Sabha election against Deve Gowda from Kanakapura Constituency and lost. He again lost to Deve Gowda's son and JD(S) president HD Kumaraswamy in 1994 Assembly polls in Sathanur.
However, this did not dishearten him, but he gradually won the support of people and won Assembly elections against JD(S) candidate PGR Sindhia from Kanakapura Constituency.