Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Sep 4: A delegation of the state government comprising chief minister, Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, Dr G Parameshwar, and KPCC working president, Dinesh Gundurao, had to return empty-handed as Congress vice president, Rahul Gandhi, rejected in total the list of chairpersons they had prepared for boards and corporations of the state. It is said that the list mostly contained names of disgruntled MLAs who could not be accommodated in the ministry.

Rahul Gandhi told the leaders to redraw the list by giving preference to activists, young persons, women, and office bearers of party units that are performing well. He also wanted balance of caste and district representations to be maintained, it is gathered. He explained to them that this is necessary to brighten the party's prospects in the next election.

It is learnt that in-charge of Congress party affairs in Karnataka, Digvijay Singh, accompanied by the above three leaders, had met Rahul Gandhi on Saturday September 3 evening to seek his approval for the list. Gandhi observed that the list had names of over 20 legislators, some MLCs, some defeated candidates, district Congress presidents etc and that youth and women did not get proper representation. Gandhi was also not happy about the fact that some people who had toiled for the party since decades had not made it to the list.

The list had been prepared after lot of negotiations, meetings, months of calculations and preparations. With the rejection of the list, and imposing conditions for redrawing of the list has poured cold water on the aspirations of many legislators who were waiting in the wings for long, hoping to occupy positions of importance.

As lot of deliberations and re-calculations will be involved in drawing the list afresh, new chairpersons for boards and corporations may not be appointed till the end of this month. As Rahul Gandhi has not told the leaders specifically to keep out MLAs, they still can nurse hopes.

The three leadlers from the state could not thrash out the issues of new KPCC president, nomination to legislative council, reorganization of ministry etc as these issues need to be discussed with party president, Sonia Gandhi, who is indisposed now. As Rahul will be busy with campaigning in Uttar Pradesh relating to assembly elections, he will not be available for discussions till September 21, sources revealed.