K'taka Congress leaders head for Delhi to select leader

High command wants S M Krishna to come forward.

With the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) being reorganised for the next Assembly elections, all state leaders of the party have been summoned to New Delhi for a detailed discussion.

"The party high command wants to select a new leader to head the state unit. The plan is to elect a consensus candidate. All leaders have been asked to submit their individual plans to improve the party's prospects in Karnataka," former chief minister N Dharam Singh told reporters on Monday before leaving for Delhi.

The move comes one day after Maharashtra Governor S M Krishna met state Congress leaders in Bangalore. Though Krishna did not make it clear whether he would return to active politics, there is pressure on him from the party high command to lead Congress in the state.

"There is a lot of infighting in the state Congress. The present leadership has lost the confidence of party workers. There is serious lack of unity among the party leaders. Only Krishna can revive the prospects of the party," a senior Congress leader said.

The Congress is holding the meeting in New Delhi to ensure that all the state leaders fall in line.

"On three occasions in the past, Congress' plans to replace KPCC President Mallikarjuna Kharge at meetings held in Bangalore were not successful. There was individual show of strength with partyworkers backing each leader and it clearly demonstrated factionalism. Now, the high command wants the KPCC leaders to come out with a plan to secure majority in the next elections," party sources indicated.

The sources pointed out that the high command was not impressed with the state Congress leaders.

"With Janata Dal (S) having lost its base in South Karnataka, the Vokkaliga (second largest community in the state) bastion, Congress is keen on appointing Krishna (a Vokkaliga) to lure voters," the sources added.