Dissolution of KPCC will help bring in new leaders: Dinesh Gundu Rao

Bengaluru: All India Congress Committee’s move to dissolve KPCC would pave the way for the reorganization of the party at all levels, creating an opportunity for new leaders, state Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao said on Wednesday.

“The AICC President has dissolved the present Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee.

The intention is to reorganize the party at the state, district and block levels, which is important,” Rao told reporters here.

Stating that he and Working President Eshwar Khandre would have to start working towards reorganizing and strengthening the party, he said they would hold discussions with legislature party leader Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal and other leaders on the way ahead.

“We will look for giving an opportunity to new leadership in the party. Those loyal to the party and honest workers will be identified and given an opportunity in the organization.

We have also started working towards appointing members to various boards and corporations and it will be finalized in a month,” he said, adding that this would instill confidence among workers.

In a major move after the rout in the Lok Sabha polls, the AICC Wednesday said it has decided to dissolve the KPCC, while retaining its President and working President.

In its worst ever performance in Karnataka, the Congress had managed to win only one of the 21 seats it had contested.

Congress’ ruling coalition partner- the JD(S) won one out of the seven seats it had contested.

BJP had swept the polls, bagging 25 out of the 28 seats.

According to sources, the move has come after the party’s”disastrous” performance, despite having a mammoth number ofoffice bearers, about 280 of them.

As most of the office bearers were old timers, the party is looking at giving an opportunity to fresh faces towards strengthening the organisation from the grass root level, sources added.

However, amid speculation that the KPCC President and Working President are also likely to be changed, the AICC has decided against it.

This reorganization would give an opportunity for Dinesh Gundu Rao to build his own team and work afresh towards organising the party, sources said, adding that it was a much needed one.

Some within the party believe that a change of KPCC President and Working President also cannot be ruled out in the days ahead.

Meanwhile, Minister D K Shivakumar, who was considered to be in the race for the KPCC President’s post said no post isvacant now and he has not asked for any position.

“…party has decided (to dissolve) with an intention to make way for new faces and those who work in the interest of the party…

I don’t know how it will be done (reorganization),” he told reporters in New Delhi.