Bengaluru, May 22 (DHNS): Basanagouda Badarli was elected Karnataka Youth Congress Committee (KYCC) president on Sunday in fiercely fought elections to the posts of the office-bearers of the state youth Congress.
K Kemparaju, K Shivkumar, R Rajendra and Sumaiya Tabrez have been elected as the KYCC vice-presidents. Besides, 11 general secretaries and 35 secretaries have been elected in the elections, the polling for which was held between May 14 and 17. Counting of votes that began on Saturday concluded on Sunday in the presence of observers deputed by the Indian Youth Congress on the premises of King’s Court on Palace Grounds.
Around 2.85 lakh votes had been cast in the elections. The Indian Youth Congress had appointed Bhupendra Singh as the returning officer for the elections. Badarli has secured 34,000 votes, Kemparaju 19,600 votes, Shivkumar 19,050 votes, Rajendra 14,000 votes and Tabrez 9,000 votes.
Thirty-four-year-old Badarli is the nephew of the Congress MLA from Sindhanur, Hampanagouda Badarli. Basanagouda Badarli is a Lingayat, and he has twice served as president of Ballari district Congress committee. He had also served as the president of National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) between 2000 and 2006. Kemparaju is a relative of Energy Minister D K Shivakumar and Rajendra is the son of senior Congress MLA K N Rajanna.
After his election, Basanagouda Badarli told DH, “l will strive to strengthen the party, especially the youth wing, by taking everybody along. I thank one and all for giving me an opportunity to serve the party.”
The newly elected office-bearers are likely to take oath on Monday or Tuesday in the presence of AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal in Bengaluru. Venugopal and four AICC secretaries are scheduled to arrive in Bengaluru on Monday. Hitherto, the Congress MLC Rizwan Arshad was the KYCC president.
Poll preparations
This apart, Venugopal is scheduled to camp in Bengaluru for five days from Monday to discuss preparations for the 2018 Assembly elections. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC president G Parameshwara, KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao and senior leaders of the party are also scheduled to take part in a series of meetings to be held at the party office on Queen’s Road, sources in the party said.
The sources said the leaders are scheduled to meet party legislators and district party presidents individually between May 22 and May 25. Besides assessing the political situation in their constituencies and districts, the leaders will elicit views of the legislators and the district chiefs on steps to be taken to strengthen the party. The Congress is likely to shortlist its candidates for the Assembly polls based on the feedback from the legislators and the district presidents, the sources added.
New KPCC chief by May end: CM
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the party high command is likely to appoint the new KPCC president by this month end.
“Appointment of new president is likely to be done by this month end,” he told reporters on seeking to know when the party will appoint the new KPCC chief.