BENGALURU: The Covid-19 pandemic has caused an unexpected problem for Karnataka’s biggest political parties. Both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress have several key party posts vacant and they are unlikely to be filled until the lockdown ends.
It is important for both parties to have full strength of office bearers for building the party. Nalin Kumar Kateel took charge as BJP state president in August 2019. Although he started travelling across the district soon after he took office, district party presidents were changed only in January 2020. Appointments to several important party posts – vice presidents, secretaries, general secretaries, treasurer are yet to be filled.
Similarly, the posts of presidents and secretaries to various morchas such as women, youth, SC/ST and other wings have not yet been filled. There are about 100 such posts on which the party is yet to make official announcement, sources said. The list of these newly proposed office bearers has been sent to the party high command, but finalisation took a backseat due to the lockdown.
Meanwhile, in the Congress, veteran politician DK Shivakumar is still president-designate. He is yet to take charge formally as KPCC president. It will likely happen on June 7. “Till he assumes charge, we cannot appoint other office bearers. We are preparing the list. It will be sent to the party high command in Delhi for approval, but not before Shivakumar takes charge,’’ said a Congress leader.