Senior Congress leaders DK Shivakumar and Mallikarjun Kharge address the media after a party meeting in Bengaluru on Monday I ASHISHKRISHNA HP
BENGALURU: To strengthen the organisation at the grassroots level, the state unit of the Congress party on Monday decided to constitute committees consisting of people from all communities at booth and panchayat levels.
Speaking to mediapersons after a brainstorming session to discuss measures to strengthen the party, Congress state president DK Shivakumar said “Praja Prathinidhi” committees will be formed at booth level to convert Congress into a cadre-based party. The committees will come into existence during preparations for the gram panchayat elections, which will be held in two phases on December 22 and 27.
The Congress also decided to include people with cultural backgrounds, from cooperative sectors and even those working as drivers in the committees.For the Gram Panchayat elections, the Congress has decided to constitute nine teams consisting of senior leaders.
The teams will visit all assembly constituencies to oversee the election preparations and party MLAs too have been asked to monitor election preparations in their constituency as well as that of neighbouring assembly segments.
The meeting, attended by senior leaders, including former chief minister Siddaramaiah, opposition leader in Legislative Council S R Patil, state unit working presidents and other leaders, discussed Sira and RR Nagar bypoll results and decided to take corrective measures ahead of bypolls to two Assembly segments and Belagavi Lok Sabha seat.
“Local leaders will be given more prominence. Committees have been formed for candidate selection and based on their suggestions, the party will send a list to the party high command,” Shivakumar said.
