The Congress party’s troubleshooter and seven-time MLA, D.K. Shivakumar, will take charge as the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee’s president on Thursday (July 2).
The online swearing-in ceremony, ‘Pratijna Dina’, is arranged at the conference hall of the party’s new building in Bengaluru.
Only a few senior leaders of the party have been invited to the function. As public gatherings are banned in view of the lockdown, Mr .Shivakumar has decided to take charge at a virtual public meeting.
Arrangements have been made for all leaders and party workers to watch the live proceedings through Kannada channels and social media.
Over 7,800 giant television screens will be set up across locations in gram panchayats, blocks, municipalities, and wards of city corporations in the State.
The KPCC president-designate claimed that about 10 lakh people will take part inthe virtual public event, making it the largest such congregation in the party’s history.
Mr. Shivakumar said he would involve all party workers across the State and take the oath. “In every gram panchayat, in every ward, this event will be held. The party workers will simultaneously join me in 7,800 locations and will take oath and read out the Preamble of the Indian Constitution,” he said.
Mr. Shivakumar was appointed as the State Congress chief on March 11. But the State government denied him permission to take charge thrice citing lockdown guidelines on political gatherings.
Dinesh Gundu Rao, who has been serving as the KPCC president, will hand over the baton to Mr. Shivakumar. Mr. Rao resigned from the post following the party’s defeat in byelections in December last.
The Congress leader, who has been speaking about collective responsibility, said he would tour across the State after taking charge. On the occasion, seers of different mutts and heads of temples have wished Mr. Shivakumar success in his endeavour.
