KALABURAGI: The divisional-level Sankalpa Samavesha organised by the Congress in Kalaburagi on Monday resembled a disciplined classroom with KPCC president DK Shivakumar as its monitor. It was a different type of convention. There was nobody on the dais in the beginning. Joint chairman of Media Committee V R Sudarshan who was the master of the ceremonies invited the dignitaries sitting in the front row to come on the dais to light the lamp to mark the inauguration of the convention. Immediately after lighting the lamp, all the dignitaries except Shivakumar, got off the dais and returned to their seats.
He had a no-nonsense air about him. In the beginning itself, he instructed the leaders attending the convention to maintain discipline. There were many don’ts – don’t talk on mobile or send messages, don’t chat with other leaders in the hall. KPCC had even deployed staff to see if anyone was flouting discipline.
Then ‘monitor’ Shivakumar told the block presidents that they would have 3 minutes to speak and they should stop immediately after hearing the bell. They were told that they should jump straight to the problems being faced by the people of their area instead of beating about the bush, and suggest ways to resolve the issues.
“Ever since I became the president, I had started an experiment to show that all are equal in the party. In the conventions to be organised by the party, no one should sit on the dais. Each speaker will come to the dais, speak in the allotted time, get off the dais and resume his/her seat,” Shivakumar said in his address.
The party will analyse the capacity of the block /district level leaders through these Sankalpa Samaveshas and will decide on whom to give tickets in the forthcoming Taluk Panchayat, ZP and MLA elections as well as the party polls. Addressing a press conference later, he appreciated the work of the block and district-level presidents.