MYSURU: The Congress High Command, keen to revamp the party in Karnataka, has appointed KPCC President DK Shivakumar loyalist and moderate young Dalit face R Dhruvanarayana, besides veteran R Ramalinga Reddy. Knowing there are no big elections for the next three years, the Congress is keen to rejuvenate the cadre, and picked a Dalit face from Old Mysuru region to represent the SC community.
However, Dhruvanarayana has a big task on hand as he should match up to veteran leaders V Srinivasa Prasad and H C Mahadevappa. Prasad walked out of the party with his followers and also created history by winning on a BJP ticket from Chamarajanagar. Mahadevappa, a Siddaramaiah loyalist and Dalit face, has kept a low profile in recent times.
Dhruvanarayana started from the Youth Congress and followed prominent Lingayat leader M Rajashekhara Murthy into the BJP. He contested from Santhemarahalli and lost to JDS candidate A R Krishna Murthy. He rejoined the Congress through Shivakumar and won from Santhemarahalli by one vote, besides Kollegal reserve constituency.
He is also two-time MP from Chamarajanagar. The appointment gives him ample opportunity to bring Dalits into the Congress fold. With veteran leaders Siddaramaiah and Mahadevappa in the autumn of their careers, the party needs their backing to sweep Old Mysuru and consolidate Ahinda votes, besides winning over Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities.