Congress leader and seven-time MLA D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday took charge as president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee and pledged to bring about a ‘BJP-mukt Karnataka’.
Addressing party workers after receiving the party’s flag from immediate past-president and MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao, Mr. Shivakumar said his and the party’s goal is to bring the Congress to power on its own in the State.
Mr. Shivakumar, who administered the party “Pratijna” to the party workers, said “Pratijna Dina is aimed at strengthening the Congress organisation and empowering karyakartas in the State. A step towards ensuring that the voice of the worker is the voice of the party.”
He said the party under his leadership would take several steps to transform it from a mass-based party to a cadre-based one. A model adopted by the Kerala Congress would be adopted here to develop the party’s strong roots at the booth level, he said, while remarking that: “even the biggest leaders should represent the booth.”
The Congress leader recalled the days he had spent in Tihar jail and said “many felt that my political career had ended after the BJP targeted me. But Sonia Gandhi came to the jail and spoke to me for an hour and assured that she was with me. She has now made me stand here as a party worker and I take this role as my duty,” Mr. Shivakumar said.
In his 30-minute address, he said: “Joining together is the beginning, thinking together is the progress and working together is the success. I strongly believe in collective leadership.”
A short documentary on Mr. Shivakumar’s political growth till becoming the KPCC president was screened on the occasion. The event began with homage being paid to 20 Indian soldiers, who were killed in a face-off with the Chinese troops in Galwan valley in Ladakh last month.
Lakhs of party workers took part in the mega virtual event and former Union Minister K. Rahman Khan read out the Preamble of the Indian Constitution to party leaders and workers.
AICC seneral secretary in-charge of Karnataka K.C. Venugopal, veteran leader M. Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah spoke and lashed out at the Narendra Modi government for the alleged poor handling of economic, health, and job issues.
