Bengaluru: In a move aimed at separating government functioning from party administration, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has appointed veteran and MLC BK Hariprasad as the new president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). The high-stakes decision was finalised by Congress's high command in New Delhi following extensive deliberations involving party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi. AICC general secretary KC Venugopal formally announced the appointment, noting that Hariprasad would assume his organisational responsibilities with immediate effect.
Strategic Pivot for Congress in Karnataka
The decision ends weeks of lobbying and marks a strategic pivot for the governing party in Karnataka. Hariprasad succeeds DK Shivakumar, who vacated the post Wednesday to take charge as the new Chief Minister. The outgoing president had successfully steered the party's state unit since July 2020 and engineered a decisive victory in the 2023 assembly elections. However, unlike Shivakumar, who held the deputy CM post alongside his organisational role, Hariprasad is unlikely to be given a cabinet berth, allowing him to focus on organisational work full-time. Sources say the central brass was firm on a strict 'one person, one post' policy.
Political Setback for Satish Jarkiholi
The selection of Hariprasad has dealt a political setback to minister Satish Jarkiholi, a prominent leader from the Nayaka community (Scheduled Tribe) who had emerged as the frontrunner for the post. Backed by his growing influence in North Karnataka and his strong appeal among his community, Jarkiholi had lobbied hard for the position. He was keen to inherit Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's traditional Ahinda voter base and the CM post in 2028. However, Siddaramaiah, who was reportedly upset with him for backing the change of guard and indirectly helping Shivakumar's cause, is said to have backed Hariprasad for the post.
Rahul Gandhi also reportedly pushed back against consolidating major ministerial portfolios and organisational control with the same individuals. But none objected to Jarkiholi's candidature, and some functionaries were understood to have even strongly supported his bid, citing his influence among Ahinda communities and his organisational reach in north Karnataka.
Hariprasad's Background
Hariprasad's elevation brings a seasoned institutional hand to the fore. A multiple-term former Rajya Sabha member and former AICC general secretary, the 72-year-old is widely recognised as an uncompromising ideological voice within Congress. He has been a fierce, vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. From the coastal region, Hariprasad was born into the politically significant Billava (Other Backward Class) community. His appointment follows a long tradition of Billava members steering the state unit, with Janardhana Poojary and former chief minister S Bangarappa previously occupying the post.
