During the meeting held between 18 senior Congress leaders from Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, with Gandhi and AICC general secretary in charge on Monday, the launch of one-year long campaign programme by Rahul Gandhi was finalised.
The AICC on Wednesday formally announced that the party will face next year’s assembly polls under the leadership of chief minister Siddaramaiah. By reshuffling the cabinet, Congress high command has tried to establish a ‘balanced’ leadership team for Karnataka by accommodating different castes and factions.
Given that Dalits account for around 24% of the population, Home Minister G Parameshwara quit the Cabinet and is now appointed as the PCC Chief and Senior Vokkaliga leader DK Shivakumar, has been made chairman of the campaign committee. Shivkumar, opposing this decision said that, he will be meeting with Rahul Gandhi to discuss on the matter along with his supporters and central leaders.
SA Patil, a Lingayat, has been made the working president. Dinesh Gundurao, a Brahmin, will continue as working president too, making it a South-North Karnataka combination. Another prominent Dalit leader, KH Muniyappa, has been made a CWC member, while he belongs to ‘Dalit Left group’, Parameswar belongs to ‘Dalit Right group’. Tribal leader Satish Jakiholi has been elevated as AICC secretary. Senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge is already Congress Lok Sabh floor leader and Public Accounts Committee chairman.
BJP leader Yeddyurappa also belongs to Lingayat caste and will be the BJPs Chief Ministerial candidate, for the May 2018 elections, as per the announcements made by BJP chief Amit Shah.