New Delhi/ Bengaluru: Amid rumblings in the Karnataka Congress unit following its disastrous defeat in the recent polls when it could win only one of the 28 Lok Sabha seats, the Congress high command on Wednesday dissolved the state unit even while retaining its president Dinesh Gundurao and working president Eshwar Khandre.
The dissolution is considered a shot in the arm for Congress Legislature party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah, now in New Delhi, as he has ensured the retention of Mr.Gundurao, considered close to him, as KPCC president while making sure that the state organisation can be recast by weeding out leaders and their supporters who have been severely critical of his manner of functioning.
Reacting to the central leadership's move, Mr Gundurao told Deccan Chronicle that the idea behind the revamp is to have a medium-sized team comprising fresh faces and seniors. At present, the Congress has a 'jumbo KPCC' consisting of over 170 secretaries and general secretaries and the drubbing in the recent Lok Sabha polls has necessitated the infusion of hard working, honest and dedicated workers to strengthen the party from the grassroot level. In fact there is nothing abrupt about the move as a proposal for dissolution of the PCC was sent to the AICC 15 days ago, which has now been approved by the Congress president, he said.
"The intention is to reorganize the party at the state, district and block levels. We will try to give an opportunity to new leaders. We have also started working to appoint members to various state-run boards and corporations which will be finalised in a month," Mr Gundurao added.
Party sources said the dissolution was much needed as a majority of the functionaries had become 'visiting card' office-bearers and had totally neglected the organisation resulting in one poll debacle after the other. An internal survey done by the PCC has revealed that many functionaries did not actively work for the party's Lok Sabha candidates due to internal squabbles. "Showing the door to non-performing office-bearers will send a strong message that the party will not tolerate lazy leaders anymore", sources added. The leadership is also concerned that voices of dissent have been growing in the state Congress for some time now due to differences over the functioning of the JD(S)-Congress coalition government with senior leaders like Ramalinga Reddy and Roshan Baig severely criticising the top brass causing huge embarrassment. The fact that senior leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge and Veerappa Moily lost the Lok Sabha elections is a pointer to the fact that something is seriously wrong in the state unit and the leadership hopes to rectify the situation with an overhaul of the party organisation.
