Bengaluru, September 15 (Daily Kiran) : Former Karnataka minister and Congress MLA K.N. Rajanna has voiced strong objections regarding the recent appointment of district unit heads within the party. On Tuesday, he pointed out that none of the 35 newly appointed leaders are women.
Rajanna, known for his close ties to former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, directly challenged Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, advocating for a Dalit leader to take the chief ministerial position. His removal from the cabinet is believed to have followed his comments about alleged “vote theft” against opposition leader Rahul Gandhi.
During meetings in Bengaluru with Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president B.K. Hariprasad and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, Rajanna raised these significant concerns. He initially met with Parameshwara at his residence in Sadashivanagar before discussing the matter further with Hariprasad.
Speaking to reporters, Rajanna explained that their discussions primarily focused on the party’s organizational structure in Tumakuru district. He emphasized the absence of women among the recently appointed district heads, stating, “I informed Hariprasad that none of the 35 newly appointed district presidents are women.”
Rajanna urged Hariprasad to bring these issues to the attention of AICC General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, as well as AICC General Secretary (Organization) K.C. Venugopal, who are expected to arrive in Bengaluru soon.
He also criticized the lack of adequate representation for backward classes in the appointments, noting that only eight of the 35 leaders belong to this group, and there is a significant lack of social balance among them.
Hariprasad acknowledged Rajanna’s concerns and assured him that he would communicate these issues to the party’s national leadership.
Rajanna clarified that he does not intend to contest in the upcoming state assembly elections but is considering running for a Lok Sabha seat in the future. Parameshwara had inquired about his electoral plans and expressed appreciation for his decision.
Reflecting on his long-standing relationship with Hariprasad, Rajanna recalled their collaboration dating back to their days in the Youth Congress. He noted that in 1979, Hariprasad served as the state general secretary while he held the position of district president.
When questioned about reports of his dissatisfaction after losing the presidency of the Karnataka Apex Bank, Rajanna stated that his primary concern is the functioning of cooperative institutions rather than holding any specific position.
“I have been involved in this movement for 50 years. Contesting for a position is less important to me. My focus is on cooperative institutions, especially organizations like the Apex Bank, which should work in coordination with the government,” he said.
Rajanna also highlighted the government’s annual financial support for farmers and cautioned that any conflict with the government could ultimately impact farmers and cooperative institutions.
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