Satish Jarkiholi favours full-time president for Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee

There has been no discussion on the issue in the party till now, says Minister

“There is a need for a full-time Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president to organise the party and strengthen it,” Minister Satish Jarkiholi said in Belagavi on December 3.

He told reporters that there have been reports on a change of leadership in the Congress unit in Karnataka. However, there has been no discussion on the issue in the party so far. “I think the party high command will take a decision on it,” he said.

To a query, he said, “We need a leader who can devote full time to the party, to strengthen the party at the grassroots level. The party will benefit if a popular leader, a mass leader is made the KPCC president. Anyone who can get votes for the various candidates of the party across Karnataka, if made to lead the party, will help it,” Satish Jarkiholi said.

D. K. Shivakumar, the current KPCC president, handles multiple responsibilities, including the Deputy Chief Ministership, and the ministries of irrigation and Bengaluru development.

Satish Jarkiholi denied that his name has been proposed for the post of KPCC president. Earlier, he had said that he is an aspirant for the post of KPCC president and the CM, but in the future.

He said that he had no information about the expansion or reconstitution of the State Cabinet. “Leaders like Asif (Raju) Sait have demanded cabinet berths. His demand is justified as no minority leader from Belagavi has got a ministership in the past. But I do not have the authority or responsibility to decide on such things. They will be decided by the CM Siddaramaiah and KPCC president D. K. Shivakumar. Let us see what happens after the winter session,” he said.

He said that Belagavi would become the second capital of Karnataka, but it would have to wait. He said the appointment of party workers to boards and corporations would be taken up after the winter session.

He said that a detailed plan of celebrating the centenary of Mahatma Gandhiji’s visit to Belagavi was being chalked out, and that a Congress working committee meeting and a public rally would be held in Belagavi in December.

“Mr Shivakumar will visit Belagavi to supervise the preparations,” he said.

Published - December 04, 2024 11:18 am IST