India, June 4 -- To manage a complex Indian state with multiple regions, loyalties, communities and languages is always a tall task. But to do it after stepping up to the chief minister (CM)'s chair halfway through the term, with the shadow of a much-more-senior colleague looming large, and a faction-riven party to lead into elections in two years, can seem almost impossible. Yet, this is the crown that DK Shivakumar has won for himself after taking oath as the next CM of Karnataka on Wednesday. The CM's chair is the pinnacle of the 64-year-old leader's career, achieved after years of friction with outgoing CM Siddaramaiah. As an ace troubleshooter with ample financial resources, Shivakumar is the Congress's strongman in Karnataka and has even been to jail on corruption charges but has not wavered in his loyalty to the party, which has finally rewarded him. But the road ahead is difficult. This is the most public-facing role of Shivakumar's career, and he will have to shed the strongman image to don the garb of a statesman. In a state where many communities vie for government attention and resources, he will have to stitch together a wide social coalition, much like his predecessor who built a mass base of Dalits and backwards that delivered the Congress its biggest victory in the state ina generation. He may have prevailed in the first tussle by allowing only one deputy CM, G Parameswara, but he will have to deal with Siddaramaiah both inside and outside the assembly. Similar factional battles in the Congress have consumed the party in states such as Rajasthan and cost it power. Shivakumar will have to shore up his own support while not allowing infighting to overwhelm governance. His biggest challenge, however, is the 2028 election. Despite its impressive mandate in 2023, the Congress government was mired for almost three years in a seemingly never-ending power struggle. Shivakumar will not only have to push the pedal on policy and governance but also deepen the party's inroads among his own community of Vokkaligas. The community was traditionally loyal to the Janata Dal (Secular) which has weakened in recent years. The road to Bengaluru in 2028, therefore, might run through the Old Mysuru region the community dominates. It won't be easy. The Congress will, surely, hope that he hits the ground running....