Newindpress

Bangalore, Jan 21: KPCC president Mallikarjun Kharge has succeeded in staying off the challenge from his senior colleagues to lead the party in the coming electoral battle.

But thanks to the defensive strategy of the party high command, the eight-time Member of Legislative Assembly has no reason to cheer, as the party has embraced the policy of collective leadership to win the battle.

While Kharge heaved a sigh of relief after he was assured of no change in KPCC leadership ahead of the polls, the decision to create power centres within the state unit by assigning prominent responsibilities in poll campaigning, planning and co-ordination to second-rung leaders like Siddaramaiah, D K Shivakumar and Ambarish has come as a dampener for the KPCC chief.

The decision of the high command not to project any one as its chief ministerial candidate has not only disappointed Kharge's supporters, it has also highlighted the groupism in the party.

The high command is planning the formation of a series of committees this week to accommodate all shades and groups.

It could also be utilising the services of former chief minister S M Krishna, but only with adequate precautions to ensure that he would not disturb the balance in power equations in the party.

There is a section in the state unit that wants to project Kharge as the leader, given the fact that he has been an eight-term MLA and will take everyone along.

Detractors of Krishna have warned the leadership not to hand over the reins of the organisation to him, as the party had lost miserably under his stewardship in the last Assembly polls.

The high command feels that projection of any leader would mar the prospects of the Congress due to infighting.

A victory in Karnataka is crucial for the party in the backdrop of the defeats in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.