Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, June 3: The Congress party on Wednesday appointed senior leader B K Hariprasad as the new president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), replacing D K Shivakumar in a key organisational reshuffle amid a wider leadership realignment in the state.
The appointment came shortly after Shivakumar was sworn in as Karnataka chief minister along with 13 ministers, marking a smooth transition in the state’s top leadership structure.
The development follows a period of internal restructuring within the party after Siddaramaiah reportedly stepped down from the chief minister’s post following directions from the party high command.
The All India Congress Committee (AICC) confirmed Hariprasad’s appointment in an official statement. Party sources indicated that senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had reportedly spoken to Hariprasad and proposed his name for the post.
Veteran Congress leader and MLC B K Hariprasad, 71, is known for his organisational experience and his strong criticism of the Narendra Modi-led government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He has previously served as a Rajya Sabha member and held several responsibilities within the AICC.
Born on July 29, 1954, Hariprasad belongs to the Billava community (OBC). The community has previously had representation in KPCC leadership, with leaders such as Janardhana Poojary and S Bangarappa, who also served as state Congress presidents.
Hariprasad is currently serving as an MLC, with his term scheduled to end this month. He was earlier the United Opposition’s candidate for the post of deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha but lost to NDA nominee Harivansh Narayan Singh. He also contested the 1999 Lok Sabha elections from Bengaluru South, where he was defeated by BJP leader and former union minister the late Ananth Kumar.
Party insiders said former minister Satish Jarkiholi was also in contention for the KPCC president’s post but ultimately missed out as Hariprasad was chosen for the role.