Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jan 10: The Congress high command, which was earlier thinking of rewarding former minister, D K Shivakumar, for his loyalty, reportedly has changed its stance. It is said that the senior leaders of the party feel that the post of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) may be given to former minister M B Patil, or state Congress working president Ishwar Khandre, as it feels the need to wrest Lingayat votebank from the BJP.

It is said that for this exact reason, the party leaders have decided against giving this post to a Vokkaliga leader like Shivakumar. Both Khandre and Patil are thought to have considerable sway over Lingayat community. The party is badly in need of changing the minds of Lingayats without the support of whom the party cannot hope to fare better in the coming elections. The post may be given to a leader from north Karnataka and sources say that Siddaramaiah has heavily backed the candidature of a Lingayat for the said post.

M B Patil (left) and Ishwar Khandre

There is information that Sonia Gandhi had promised Shivakumar, when he met her just before returning after being released from Tihar jail on bail, that his loyalty will be suitably rewarded by the party. It is said that sensing that Siddaramaiah is against his appointment as KPCC president, Shivakumar had met Siddaramaiah a couple of days back. As soon as he came to know that the central leaders are considering Shivakumar for the post of the KPCC president, Siddaramaiah moved deftly to bring up his loyalist M B Patil's name for the post.

Siddaramaiah has resigned to both posts of the Congress legislature party leader and leader of the opposition. Dinesh Gundu Rao has resigned as KPCC president. Shivakumar, H K Patil land K H Muniyappa have an eye on the post of the leader of the opposition and KPCC president. B K Hariprasad has been strongly backing Muniyappa while Mallikarjun Kharge is supporting H K Patil. Satish Jarkiholi, an influential legislator from Belagavi district, also has evinced interest in becoming KPCC president. Former Congress MLA K N Rajanna, too has said he is willing to become KPCC president.

If the party sources are to be believed, M B Patil appears to be ahead in the race for KPCC presidentship now.