Date:29/07/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/07/29/stories/2005072909810500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Reconstitution of KPCC after legislature session: Kharge

Staff Reporter

UNVEILING HIS PRIORITIES: The new KPCC President, M. Mallikarjun Kharge, addressing his maiden press conference after taking charge of the post, in Bangalore on Thursday. At right is the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education R. Ramalinga Redd y. — Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

BANGALORE: A day after he took charge, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President, M. Mallikarjun Kharge, announced that the reconstitution of the State unit would wait until the legislature session ended on August 5.

Speaking to presspersons at the Congress Bhavan, Mr. Kharge said until the formation of the new KPCC, the present functionaries and office-bearers would continue in their posts.

"Achcha kaam karo," was the brief from the AICC President, Sonia Gandhi, when she asked him to take on the responsibility of leading the Congress in the State, Mr. Kharge said.

He accepted the onerous task of party building in order to energise the workers and prepare for the elections in the future so that the Congress emerged as the single largest party and formed the government on its own.

Mr. Kharge said he would soon meet Ms. Gandhi again to decide whether he should quit the post of Water Resources Minister.

"I will do as the High Command says," he said.

As for the party workers being restive over the failure of the Government to appoint the chairpersons for the various boards and corporations, which has been pending since the Congress-Janata Dal (S) coalition Government came to power, Mr. Kharge said no Congress worker or leader is of the kind to hanker for the trappings of power.

"Now that I have assumed office, I shall start addressing the issues one by one," he said when asked about activating the much-talked-about coordination committee to monitor the implementation of the common minimum programme by the coalition partners.

As long as the partnership with the Janata Dal (S) lasted, the Congress considered itself bound by the Common Minimum Programme and as long as the Janata Dal (S) kept its side of the bargain, and adhered to the CMP, he would not question or worry about the internal squabbles that are rocking that party, Mr. Kharge said. Asked how he would handle the situation were the Deputy Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, to join the Congress, Mr. Kharge said: "I will not answer hypothetical questions."