Shivakumar officially takes charge as Karnataka Cong chief

Senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar on Thursday officially took charge as president of the party's Karnataka unit, after over three months since he was appointed to the post, as COVID-19 restrictions prompted the postponement of the formal function thrice.

Senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar on Thursday officially took charge as president of the party's Karnataka unit, after over three months since he was appointed to the post, as COVID-19 restrictions prompted the postponement of the formal function thrice. Due to restrictions in place to control the spread of the coronavirus, the ceremony was organised at the party's new office building in the presence of select invitees at the venue.

Immediate past president Dinesh Gundu Rao handed over the Congress flag to Shivakumar, which was followed by party workers across various locations, who were digitally watching the function, taking oath, and reading the preamble of the Constitution. The ceremony was held on Thursday after it was postponed thrice due to COVID-19 related restrictions in place.

The Congress high command had on March 11 appointed the six-time MLA, known to be the Congress's chief troubleshooter in crisis situations, replacing Dinesh Gundu Rao as the KPCC chief. Rao had quit the post in December after the party's dismal show of winning only two of the 15 seats in the bypolls.

A written message by AICC president Sonia Gandhi was read out by party general secretary K C Venugopal in which she appreciated the judicious use of technology to mobilise the workers and leaders. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi telephoned Shivakumar and asked him to work for the party's success by taking everyone together.

Venugopal, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge, former state Congress presidents, former and present party legislators and MPs and party leaders from neighbouring states were among others who attended the function virtually. Addressing the partymen, Shivakumar, vowing to convert the Congress in Karnataka as a cadre-based party, said he was just a party worker and believes in collective leadership.

"Joining together is the beginning, thinking together is progress, working together is success," he said, while recalling he was being written off during his arrest in a money laundering case. But Sonia Gandhi picked him for the post and even visited him in prison, referring to her meeting him in the Tihar jail when he was lodged there in connection with the case.

Stating that Congress should come to power again on its own in the state, Shivakumar spoke about implementing the Kerala model, where all big leaders must represent their booth. Earlier, there were reports of Siddarmaiah being in favour of one of his confidantes to be made state president.

According to many party insiders, he is said to be behind the idea of three working presidents, seen as a move to allegedly loosen Shivakumar's grip on the party. Several other leaders had also opposed Shivakumar's name, citing his recent arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in the money laundering case.

Considered as Congress's man Friday, Shivakumar had hosted party legislators from Gujarat here in 2017 to ensure the victory of AICC leader Ahmed Patel in the Rajya Sabha elections. He was a key link in the Congress-JDS coalition and had made hectic attempts to prevent the collapse of the H D Kumaraswamy-led government last year after a section of the the then ruling MLAs revolted.

Speaking at the function, Siddaramaiah said, "Our aim is to remove BJP and bring Congress to power once again to save the country. He lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of lying and betraying the people.

He hit out at the government for its handling of COVID crisis and economy..