Bengaluru/New Delhi: In a delicate balancing act that reaffirms Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's control of the Congress government in the state as he faces up to a resurgent BJP under a rising B.S. Yeddyurappa, the All India Congress Committee said the next elections would be held under the leadership of Siddaramaiah, much to the discomfiture of old Congressmen.
The announcement on Wednesday ended a long running tussle for the top job, that the CM would have liked to see assigned to his nominee and sop to the Lingayat community, Mr.S.R. Patil.
Instead in this PCC rejig that is a run up to assembly polls next year, long serving Dr Parameshwar has been retained as PCC president, but has had to give up the high-profile Home portfolio with immediate effect.
In a gesture that may or may not reverse a long held Lingayat grouse against the Congress party after it showed Lingayat leader Veerendra Patil the door, S.R. Patil, Lingayat leader from north Karnataka has been made the working president. Kolar MP, K.H. Muniyappa eyeing the PCC president post, is the new permanent invitee to Congress working committee. And ST leader from Belagavi, Satish Jarkiholi is the new AICC secretary.
The biggest blow is to the Congress' election whizz in the state, D.K. Shivakumar who will be Chairman of the Campaign Committee. Hoping to be the KPCC president, he may have to wait another four years before he can take a shy at the top job.
