Congress appoints its troubleshooter DK Shivakumar as Karnataka PCC chief

"Congress president has appointed DK Shivakumar as PCC president and Eashwar Khandre, Satish Jharkihol and Saleem Ahammed as working presidents for Karnataka Pradesh Congress committee", said KC Venugopal, AICC organisational general secretary in a statement.

He also said that the Congress president has approved the proposal of the appointment of Chief Whip for the Congress in assembly and legislative council.

While MN Narayanaswamy, an MLC, was appointed as Chief Whip in legislative council and MLA Ajay Singh in assembly.

The party also said that former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will continue as the CLP leader and the leader of Opposition.

"The party appreciate the contribution of outgoing PCC president Dinesh Gunu Rao", said Mr Venugopal.

Siddaramaiah, had resigned from the post of CLP leader after the poor performance in the recent bypolls in the Karnataka assembly.

Gundu Rao had also resigned from KPCC president post, after taking responsibility for the rout in the assembly bypolls, in which BS Yediyurappa-led BJP bagged 12 seats out of 15.

Siddaramaih, an arch-rival of Mr Shivakumar in the state politics, had visited Delhi to meet Congress high command in favour of former Minister MB Patil, who belongs to the Lingayat community, as PCC chief.

Shivakumar, known as party's troubleshooter, had saved the Congress- JD(S) coalition government from falling after 17 MLAs resigned in July last year.

He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case and had over 50 days in Tihar Jail in September-October, 2019.