To ensure unity as well as maintain continuity in the functioning of the State Congress, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has decided to keep G. Parameshwara as the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) as Karnataka goes for Legislative Assembly elections next year.
However, the party high command has asked Mr. Parameshwara, who is holding the Home portfolio, to resign from the State Cabinet to devote his full time and energy in discharging responsibilities as the party president.
The 66-year-old Dalit leader has been the KPCC president since October 2010. He was Minister of State for Sericulture in the S. Bangarappa Ministry and Minister for Higher Education, Information and Information Technology and Medical Education in the S.M. Krishna Ministry. Mr. Parameshwar, son of freedom fighter H.M. Gangadharaiah, is the chairman of Siddhartha Education Society.
The Congress, however, decided to fight coming Assembly elections under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, said a release issued by the AICC.
The Lingayat leader and former Minister S.R. Patil from north Karnatka has been appointed as the KPCC working president along with incumbent working president Dinesh Gundu Rao. Mr. Rao would look after the party affairs in southern Karnataka, while Mr. Patil, who was dropped from the Cabinet about two years ago, would look after the party work in north Karnataka.
Senior leader and Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar has been appointed as the chairman of the Campaign Committee for the upcoming polls.
Former Union Minister and Kolar MP K.H. Muniyappa has been included in the Congress Working Committee as a special representative, while former Minister Satish Jarkiholi has been appointed as the secretary of the AICC.
