To woo voters, Cong packs its campaign panel with film stars

 Despite the Congress claiming that it is going to seek votes in coming Karnataka Assembly polls under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah by focusing on development works, the party has roped in Kannada film actors in a big way for its campaign.

Actor Ramaya, former Mandya MP and party's social media head, found a prominent place in the 70-member campaign committee list approved by the Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday.

While Vokkaliga leader and Energy Minister D K Shivakumar will be the chairman of the panel as per earlier announcement, several prominent personalities from Kannada film industry including sitting MLC Jayamala, former Lok Sabha member Shashikumar, actors 'Mukhyamantri' Chandru, Sadhu Kokila, Malashree, Bhavana and Abhinaya, music director Milind Dharmasena and film producer S Manohar have found place in the panel.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G Parameshwara, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC working presidents S R Patil, Dinesh Gundurao, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and former MP K B Krishnamurthy are other prominent members of the campaign committee.

Interestingly, in the hierarchy of the list, Ramya got the eighth place followed by several important leaders including former Minister and actor Ambarish, former Union Minister C M Ibrahim, former MPs B L Shankar and I G Sanadi and former Chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council V R Sudarshan.

With the state unit facing a tussle between 'old-timers' and 'new entrants', the party top brass tried to do a balancing act by a preparing jumbo list.

All former Union ministers, former KPCC presidents, chiefs of frontal organisation and AICC office-bearers and the party MPs from the state are permanent invitees to the panel.