Date:22/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/22/stories/2006092224790400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

City DCC to have new president

Special Correspondent

Moves afoot to have a candidate from the backward classes

R. Ramalinga Reddy has been holding the post for seven years
His predecessor, T.V. Martui, is said to be in favour of appointing MLC Krishnappa to the post

Rahul Gandhi reported to be showing interest in the selection of the candidate for the post

BANGALORE: Moves are afoot to have a new president for the Bangalore City District Congress Committee (DCC) and as is to be expected even the All India Congress Committee is involved in the exercise.

The incumbent president Ramalinga Reddy, who is the Jayanagar MLA, has been holding the post for seven years.

Long innings

Earlier, it was the long innings of the present Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee General Secretary T.V. Maruti. He had held the post for eight years.

Needless to mention, both Mr. Reddy and Mr. Maruti were nominated presidents and chosen by the KPCC in consultation with the AICC.

So will be the next president. It is noted that Mr. Ramalinga Reddy had held the DCC post even when he was a Minister although the party has committed itself to the principle of "one man one post".

Some names are in currency for appointment to the post. They are those of L.R. Ananth, former chairman of the Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation; Dinesh Gundu Rao, Gandhinagar MLA and president of the State Youth Congress; M. Ramachandrappa, former Mayor and KPCC General Secretary; Krishnappa, MLC and Mr. Maruti himself.

Apart from the AICC, Rahul Gandhi, MP is said to have interested himself in the nomination of the president and one or two aspirants have had meetings with him, according to party sources.

AICC General Secretary and MP B.K. Hariprasad, who has been at loggerheads with Mr. Ramalinga Reddy, is stated to be keen on Mr. Krishnappa becoming the DCC President.

There is the view that the post should go to a leader from the backward classes like Mr. Ananth who belongs to the Devanga caste or Mr. Ramachandrappa, who is a Kuruba as both Mr. Ramalinga Reddy and Mr. Maruti are Vokkaligas. Mr. Krishnappa who was earlier in the Janata Dal (Secular) too is a Vokkaliga.

The presidentship of the DCC assumes importance as elections to the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike are due this year or in early 2007.

Although the issue of the formation of greater Bangalore might necessitate putting off the elections, it cannot be indefinite. The years of the erstwhile Bangalore City Corporation being under administrator's rule for nine years as during 1974-83 cannot be repeated now as the 73rd Amendment to the Constitution is in place.