BENGALURU: After Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G Parameshwara was made the Deputy Chief Minister in the coalition government, former minister D K Shivakumar is likely to be appointed as the next KPCC president.
"The Ministry expansion process will be taken up after the floor test on Friday. Shivakumar is likely to be accommodated in the government and he is also likely to be made the KPCC president to strengthen the party before 2019 general elections," sources in Congress party told The New Indian Express.
Shivakumar, who had played a crucial role in keeping the party MLAs together to defeat BJP during the floor test last week, is said to have expressed displeasure over not being considered for the Deputy Chief Minister's post. During the senior leaders' meeting at a private hotel in the city on Wednesday, leaders assured Shivakumar that the party will not ignore his contribution, sources said. Shivakumar, however, denied it by saying "all is well in the party and he had not expressed any displeasure about anything with anyone".
The former Energy Minister had earlier worked as KPCC Working President when R V Deshpande was the head of the state Congress unit. He was the party's campaign committee chairman during the 2018 Assembly election. "He is known for his organisational skills and has come to the party's rescue on many occasions. That is the reason for his name being considered for the top post in the party," a source said. The Vokkaliga strongman in the Congress had played the 'Guardian' role for 44 Gujarat MLAs who were put up at a resort near the city during the 2017 Rajya Sabha polls in that state. He was raided by the Income Tax Department officials while he was staying with the Congress MLAs from Gujarat.
Last week, he coordinated the party's efforts to take Congress MLAs to a resort near Bidadi and also to Hyderabad when the BJP was allegedly trying to reach them before B S Yeddyurappa's floor test.
After the ministry expansion, Parameshwara is likely to make way for the new KPCC chief. He has been the longest serving KPCC president. The party went to elections in 2013 and 2018 under his leadership as the president of the Congress state unit.