'Shivakumar eyeing State Congress president post'

Energy Minister D K Shivakumar is lobbying for the post of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president and at the same time wants to continue as minister, sources in the party said.

G Parameshwara’s second consecutive tenure as the State Congress chief concluded in December last year. However, Parameshwara, who is also the Home Minister, is continuing in the post on the directions of the high command, as the party is yet to find a replacement.

Shivakumar, sources in the party said, had met several Congress leaders in Delhi in the last few days and impressed upon them that he was willing to take over the leadership of the State Congress unit. 

At the same time, he is keen on continuing as energy minister at least for the next one year.

Party sources said Shivakumar had impressed upon the party high command about his role in the Congress’ good performance in the recent panchayat elections in Ramanagaram, Bengaluru (Rural), Chamarajanagar, Chikkaballapur and Belagavi districts where he campaigned extensively.

Shivakumar, who is projecting himself as the voice of Vokkaligas in the Congress, is also in touch with the party MLAs seeking their support for his new political ambition, the sources said.