Dilemma over Karnataka Congress’ new chief likely to end in 15 days

The uncertainty over having a full-time captain for the Karnataka Congress is set to end in the coming weeks as the party high command is keen to put its machinery into battle mode without delay.

D K Shivakumar

BENGALURU:  The uncertainty over having a full-time captain for the Karnataka Congress is set to end in the next couple of weeks as the party high command is keen to put its machinery into battle mode without any further delay.

“The issue of appointing a full-time president for Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) is likely to be settled within 15 days,” said Congress floor leader in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, after meeting the AICC General Secretary in-charge of party affairs in Karnataka, K C Venugopal, in New Delhi last week.

Kharge held a prolonged meeting with Venugopal and is said to have pressed for a speedy decision on the KPCC president’s appointment.

Meanwhile, a delegation of 24 Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike corporators, led by Mayor G Padmavathi, arrived in New Delhi last week to lobby in favour of Energy Minister D K Shivakumar, who is one of the strong contenders for the top post.

Though incumbent KPCC president G Parameshwara, senior Congress MP K H Muniyappa, former minister S R Patil, and water resources minister M B Patil, too, are in the race for the post, it has now narrowed down to a straight fight between S R Patil and Shivakumar.

“The party needs a strong leader to take on BJP and JD(S) in the 2018 Assembly polls. Shivakumar has proved his ability as a good organiser and fighter who can motivate the party rank and file to meet the challenge,” said a corporator. The delegation will camp in Delhi to meet Venugopal and bat in favour of Shivakumar.

But Siddaramaiah is rooting for S R Patil as he favours getting a Lingayat leader to head the party ahead of the election as part of his caste calculus. The argument has been further strengthened after the party’s recent victory in Nanjangud and Gundlupet bypolls which recorded significant support of the Lingayat community.

Siddaramaiah feels appointment of a Lingayat to the top party job would help the Congress woo the Lingayat community, which had turned to the BJP after Congress’ ignominious removal of Veerendra Patil from the CM’s post in 1990. 

Venugopal is scheduled to arrive in Bengaluru on May 8 and camp for four days to hold discussions with Siddaramaiah, Parameshwara, ministers, legislators, MPs and office-bearers and ascertain their views on the KPCC leadership issue.