After a prolonged wait for three months, senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar took charge as president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress committee on Thursday. Marking the event as 'Pratijna dina' Shivakumar took over from outgoing president Dinesh Gundu Rao in a digital event live streamed in all assembly constituencies, ward level and gram Panchayat level so thousands of Congress workers could witness the event at multiple venues without congregating at one single venue. Large screens in the background of the stage where Shivakumar took charge in Bengaluru ran continuous visuals of party workers watching the event live from some 14,000 places including individual social media pages.
The event that started with Shivakumar hoisting a flag outside the KPCC headquarters on Thursday morning moved to a mass digital event inside the newly constructed Congress office auditorium. A constitutional pledge was taken by all leaders and workers - those present at venue and those joining digitally- as former union minister Rehman Khan administered the pledge. Soon after taking charge as KPCC president DK Shivakumar led the pledge of loyalty to the Congress party as all leaders and workers joined to pledge their committee too.
The pledge included a promise to convert the party into a 'cadre-based' party and to fight with all their might and grit to bring back the party to power in Karnataka and Central government. "This is a historic day for me, workers of the Congress as well as the citizens of Karnataka. I stand here as a party worker even if I am the president. When I was in jail, my party leaders gave me strength and said the party will stand behind me. I stand here as a result of that support. I believe in collective leadership," said D K Shivakumar who started his speech thanking God, religious leaders of all communities and then leaders of the Congress.
President's of various PPCs, former chief ministers, former union ministers, veterans of Congress and hoards of leaders and workers were present at the venue in the party headquarters as Shivakumar personally oversaw preparations for his charge taking ceremony.
"Shivakumar's loyalty towards the party is his best quality. In Karnataka too we have seen our own leaders desert the party-their mother- in times of crisis. But despite facing severe problems caused by the current government, Shivakumar stood by the Congress like a rock," said KC Venugopal, AICC General Secretary and in-charge of Karnataka as he read out a message from AICC interim President Sonia Gandhi who lauded the digital event that brought party workers together using technology in times of COVID19 pandemic.
Former AICC President Rahul Gandhi called up Shivakumar to convey his wishes. The phone call was broadcast live on the speakers so all party workers and leaders could hear Rahul Gandhi's wishes. "As KPCC president you must carry all party workers along with you and I am confident you will," Rahul Gandhi said towards the end of his phone call. Taking charge as KPCC president is one step forward in DK Shivakumar's plans of emerging as a Chief Minister candidate in the next assembly election in Karnataka. The massive digital event is aimed at establishing Shivakumar as a pan-Karnataka leader with an appeal beyond Vokkaliga community or South Karnataka region.