With eyes on 2023 polls, Congress plans major rejig

The DK Shivakumar-led Congress is planning to make key changes in its organisation with the party looking to make the most of the BJP’s situation ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections.

According to party sources, former minister M B Patil will be elevated with a key organisational responsibility. “There are talks that Patil will be made chairperson of the party’s campaign committee, a coveted post ahead of the elections,” a source said.

Patil is seen as the Congress’ emerging Lingayat face in north Karnataka. He even came out in support of former chief minister B S Yediyurappa, also a Lingayat, which was seen as a strategy to score brownie points with the community that is seen as the BJP’s support base.

The party is also likely to bring in new faces in its frontal organisations. Apparently, senior leader K H Muniyappa’s daughter and KGF MLA Roopakala M is being considered to become the president of the Mahila Congress.

Former MLA Madhu Bangarappa, who formally joined the Congress from the JD(S) on Friday, may be considered to head the party’s OBC
wing.

“Fresh appointments are expected across all wings - SC, ST, minorities and so on,” the source said.

Recently, the party-appointed Kirthi Ganesh N G as the Karnataka president of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI).

The organisational rejig is expected to happen alongside the appointment of new office-bearers in August, sources said.

According to a senior party leader, the appointment of a new BJP chief minister would benefit Congress in several ways. “The way BS Yediyurappa made his exit may not be unceremonious, but it did create enough noise with Lingayat seers hitting the streets. Also, the BJP will be a divided house once the Cabinet is expanded as there are too many aspirants. It’ll be a tightrope walk that will benefit Congress one way or another,” the leader said.