Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jan 20: As per information, Dinesh Gundu Rao, who had tendered his resignation to the post of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) which he holds currently, had become passive since sometime, as a new president was expected to be named by the Congress high command.

Although there has been information that D K Shivakumar is set to become KPCC president, K C Venugopal, in-charge of Congress affairs in Karnataka, has now asked Dinesh Gundu Rao to actively get involved with party functioning in the state. This virtually means that the party needs time to choose an heir to Dinesh Gundu Rao. Perhaps the delay has happened because of Siddaramaiah's insistence that M B Patil should be made state party president. Mallikarjun Kharge too may be interested in the post, some sources feel.

The party is said to be in a bind over caste and regional calculations for choosing KPCC president. There is also controversy over the number of working president and who should be chosen as working presidents. In addition, splitting of the posts of the leader of the Congress legislature party and leader of the opposition in the assembly is yet to be resolved. Because of delay expected, Dinesh has been asked to shoulder responsibility for the time being, analysts believe.

Some Congress circles also feel that this could be a warning signals for those within the party who are involved with egotism, factionalism, original - immigrant controversy, junior - senior, caste, regional and individual charisma to get party posts.

It is said that Siddaramaiah, who tried to the hilt to ensure that his loyalist M B Patil, is given the post of the KPCC president, mooted creation of four working president posts after he realized that Shivakumar was chosen by the high command as the next KPCC president. Mallikarjun Kharge opposed this move, as he felt that not more than two working presidents would serve the purpose. Siddaramaiah came up against the proposal to split the two posts of leader of the opposition and leader of the Congress legislature party which he held all these days.

After the party faced drubbing in the bypoll, Dinesh Gundu Rao had resigned and had stayed away from party activities since the last two months. He was attending to party work sparingly and passively, it is said. In the meantime, Mallikarjun Kharge said that he will be bound by any decision the party high command might take. He said he is not aware about the party's proposal to implement Maharashtra model when making appointments within the party. He also said that the issue of giving the posts of the opposition leader in the assembly and leader of the Congress legislature party to two different persons is left to the party's discretion.