Happier to be Campaign Committee chief: H K Patil

The Congress which has taken up the cabinet expansion and rejig exercise in Karnataka where it shares power with regional party JD(S), has bent over backwards to accommodate MLAs from North Karnataka in various capacities, thereby addressing the "regional disparity" grouse nursed by legislators from the northern parts of the state.

While seven among the eight MLAs being sworn in, are from North Karnataka, a handful of them have been assigned as Parliamentary Secretaries or as chairpersons of boards and corporations.

Former chief minister's son and Jewargi MLA Ajay Singh has been appointed as a special representative in New Delhi.

On Saturday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi appointed senior party leader and former minister H K Patil as the Chairman of the Campaign Committee of KPCC.

He replaces Water Resources Minister D K Shivakumar, who was tasked with the post during the Assembly elections held in May.

As the party could not accommodate Patil, a ministerial aspirant, into the cabinet, it has assigned him a key responsibility, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

And Patil couldn't be happier. "This post is much higher than a ministerial position. It is an important and challenging responsibility. The party has rewarded me duly for serving it loyally for 30 years. I thank both Rahul Gandhi and K C Venugopal for this," he said.

Patil also said that he may have been considered for the post, as the party was trying to set right the injustice meted to North Karnataka MLAs.

To start with, Patil said that he would appeal to all the disgruntled MLAs who have not been given any posts or positions.

The Committee comprises PCC presidents, chiefs of the party’s organisations, AICC office-bearers and members of parliament from both houses.

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